Bears Draft Profile Part Four: Jared Verse
Photo Credit: Gerald Herbert/AP
With the recent acquisition of star wide receiver Keenan Allen, the Bears needs at that position have suddenly shifted. There are plenty of defensive stars in the first round, such as Florida State defensive end Jared Verse.
The Chicago Bears need another edge rusher besides star DE Montez Sweat, they also haven’t truly addressed it in free agency. Some of the best pass rushers have been poached by other teams, so the draft may be the logical choice.
Verse is one of the best pass rusher prospects available. In just two years at Florida State, Verse has shown consistently, speed, power, and other great qualities to have in a rookie pass rusher. In his two years with the Seminoles, he has accumulated 18 sacks, with nine each season. He also is a threat in the run game. In his season with the team, he had 17.5 tackles for loss and followed that up with 12.5 this past season.
Prior to his time with the Seminoles, he played two years at Albany where he had four sacks his first year, which was cut short due to the pandemic, then followed it up with nine-and-a-half his sophomore season. Overall for his collegiate career, he has 31.5 sacks in four seasons.
Verse has his limitations in size and arm length, but boasts great instincts and a noticeable start to his pass rush where he is described as “twitchy” then turns into unstoppable power that allows him to pass through his opponents with a combination of power and speed.
At the NFL Combine, Verse had the highest grade on NFL.com with a 6.73 which is the equivalent to a year one starter. He was graded higher than the likes of Alabama Crimson Tide DE Dallas Turner, Pennsylvania State DE Chop Robinson, University of California-Los Angeles DE Laiatu Latu, and many more.
Verse will turn 24 by the start of his rookie season so he will be a bit on the older side of rookies, but he is a crucial piece to whoever takes him. He fits the Bears defense being a former DE instead of an outside linebacker, which Head Coach Matt Eberflus uses heavily in his 4-3 defense.
With the Bears having the first and ninth overall picks in this upcoming draft, they are in ample range to select Verse.
Tankathon has Verse going 15th overall to the Indianapolis Colts, Mel Kiper on the other hand had Verse going 11th overall to the division rival Minnesota Vikings, but that was before they acquired their new defensive core in free agency.
Unlike other prospects in previous parts of the Draft Profile series, the Bears have a good chance to pick up Verse if the board falls in their favor, even if they trade back to recoup draft picks from the Allen trade and the other trade for offensive guard Ryan Bates.
