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After totaling 77 pressures, 11 tackles for loss and 4 1/2 sacks final season, the skin linebacker isn’t frightened a few sophomore hunch.
“I don’t really feel too much pressure,” Verse mentioned Tuesday after apply throughout organized group actions. “If I’m who I am, if I take the strides needed to take, I’m going to be the best version of me, and I’m going to be able to help the team in any facet or way that they need.”
Verse already has one 12 months of coping with immense expectations below his belt. Drafted nineteenth total in 2024, the Florida State product needed to deal with the assumption he would assist the Rams to navigate the retirement of eight-time All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald.
The go rush was capable of do exactly that, however Verse mentioned it got here from a collective effort quite than his or some other particular person efficiency. Verse, fellow Seminole rookie Braden Fiske and second-year standouts Kobie Turner and Byron Young mixed for 28 1/2 sacks and 43 tackles for loss within the common season.
It took time for Verse and Fiske to acknowledge totally integrating into the protection required greater than working off each other the way in which that they had in school.
“I think we did good, but I think we became more so focused on helping the team than trying to do our own thing and have a good little duo going on,” Verse mentioned. “But I think we kind of have learned the opportunities that we have to work together.”
Combined with Verse’s improved understanding of how rapidly the sport strikes within the NFL because the season went on, he closed out the marketing campaign with a fumble return for a landing in an NFC wild-card spherical win over the Minnesota Vikings and two sacks and three tackles for loss in a six-point divisional spherical loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
“The number one thing you hear is how much faster the game is at this level versus college,” Verse mentioned. “Everybody’s always like, ‘Oh, it’s not.’ The hell it is, man. You’re thrown in that fire, nah, it’s a lot faster. Yeah, it was surprising, but once I got the hang of it, it became just like college, it became just like high school, slowed down a lot more.”
Verse already feels effectively forward of the place he was right now final 12 months. He was decided to profit from a full offseason with out having to organize for the draft or deal with the uncertainty that comes with going by means of the whole lot for the primary time.
That included a full evaluate of all of Verse’s sport movie from final season. The research allowed him to see what number of possibilities he missed out on as a rookie.
“Probably the biggest thing I realized was how many sacks, not even just sacks, but big plays I missed out on,” he mentioned. “You know, dropping in coverage I could have done this, or rushing the passer could have done that. Even in the run game a couple times, there’s a couple things where I’m a little too far inside, a little too far outside, and I could have made a big impact play. So realizing that this really is a game of inches, whether it’s just like stopping the ball or actually just doing your job, there’s a couple things I could have done better.”
All these steps, together with continued growth from his work with outdoors linebackers coach Joe Coniglio and line of defense coach Giff Smith, had been evident to defensive coordinator Chris Shula in Verse’s work throughout apply.
“You can tell he’s really taken the techniques that Joe and Giff are really teaching him and applying them on the field,” Shula mentioned. “And I think things have slowed down for him a little bit, and he’s playing really fast right now.”
Verse has yet one more week of labor in Southern California earlier than the Rams maintain their obligatory minicamp in Maui. The loquacious Verse is wanting ahead to a return go to after vacationing there for first time earlier this 12 months, however don’t count on to see him wading out within the Pacific Ocean throughout his free time.
“I don’t know what’s out in that water,” Verse mentioned. “I’m good.”
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