Multiple NFL analysts pick Los Angeles Rams’ Jared Verse to win major 2024 award

For the first time since 2016, the Los Angeles Rams had a first-round pick in the NFL Draft. Sean McVay and Les Snead picked edge rusher Jared Verse with the 19th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and many are expecting him to make a huge impact this fall.

Vrse was well-regarded by NFL coaches during the pre-draft process. While he was the fourth defensive player drafted in 2024, the third defensive lineman, many saw the former Florida State Seminoles star as the type of player who could make an instant impact at the next level.

• Jared Verse stats 2023: 12.5 tackles for loss, 9 sacks, 3 pass deflections

Los Angeles tried to move up for tight end Brock Bowers, but when a trade fell through, Snead and McVay turned their focus to the Rams defense. When Verse was available with the 19th overall pick, the team wasted little time getting the pick in.

Verse now joins a young Rams defensive line that will collectively need to fill the void left by Aaron Donald’s retirement. While those are massive shoes to fill, many NFL analysts believe the rookie pass will do something Donald did with this same franchise.

In a poll of ESPN NFL analysts, five different people picked Verse to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024. ESPN polled 12 NFL experts, including senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler, ESPN analytics expert Aaron Schatz and NFL analyst Field Yates among the 41.6 percent of voters choosing Verse.

“Verse. Laiatu Latu and Dallas Turner got most of the bump as top pass-rushers, but Verse is a unique player with serious power. In the post-Aaron Donald era, Verse could become the face of the Rams’ defense.”

Jeremy Fowler on why Los Angeles Rams rookie Jared Verse will win Defensive Rookie of the Year

As Fowler mentioned, Verse’s power and NFL-ready skills give him an advantage over fellow first-round pick Dallas Turner in terms of the ability to make an immediate impact. While Laiatu Latu is arguably the most polished pass-rushing rookie, he won’t be the face of the Indianapolis Colts defense.

“Verse. The Rams needed serious front-seven reinforcements and used the 19th overall pick on the ready-made Verse, whose in-line power and 6-foot-4 length should lead to sack production right out of the gate. Verse is almost 24 years old and is a more refined prospect than many of the other players taken around him in the first round.”

Field Yates on why Jared Verse will win Defensive Rookie of the Year for the Los Angeles Rams

As for what Verse needs to do to make the projections come true, expectations are fairly reasonable for a rookie. Houston Texans edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023 with 22 quarterback hits, 10 tackles for loss and 77 sacks in 15 games. Micah Parsons won it in 2021 with 13 sacks and Chase Young took home Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2020 with 12 QB hits and 7.5 sacks.

If Verse can find a way to net 8 sacks in 17 games and he holds his own setting the edge against the run for a much-improved Rams defense, Los Angeles will likely be in the playoffs and its first-round pick should win Defensive Rookie of the Year 2024.