The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine is in full swing, and prospects are doing their best to put their top showing in front of dozens of NFL scouts and executives.
One such prospect is Florida State pass rusher Jared Verse. After transferring from Albany to Florida State, Verse has shot up draft boards and is in contention to be the first defensive player taken in the 2024 NFL Draft.
How Did Jared Verse Perform at the 2024 NFL Combine?
Verse had a fantastic showing for an edge rusher over 250 pounds at the NFL Combine. Verse had the fastest 40-yard dash time of any player over the last decade who also had arms that were at least 33 inches long, and he put up at least 30 reps on the 225-pound bench press.
In fact, Verse broke a record previously set by none other than Myles Garrett; of any player with at least 33-inch arms who also hit 30 or more reps on the bench, no player has had a faster 40-yard dash time. The bench press hasn’t been a popular drill for prospects to do, but Verse showed up and crushed it, speaking both to his competitiveness and strength.
While his 7.31 three-cone time won’t wow anyone, at 254 pounds, it’s a higher mark than previous top-10 picks like Bradley Chubb and Dante Fowler Jr. while being just a hair shy of Jadaveon Clowney’s 7.27 in 2014.
Here is a full list of Verse’s full testing numbers at the NFL Combine:
- Height: 6’4
- Weight: 254
- Arm Length: 34 1/2″
- Hand: 9 7/8″
- 40-Yard Dash: 4.58 seconds
- 10-Yard Split: 1.6 seconds
- Vertical Jump: 35″
- Broad Jump: 10′ 7″
- 3-Cone: 7.31 seconds
- 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.25 seconds
- Bench Press: 31 reps
Jared Verse 2024 NFL Draft Stock
Verse has bounced up and down mock drafts throughout the season and offseason, ranging from the early teens at 11 to the Minnesota Vikings down to the late 20s to the Detroit Lions.
After his performance this weekend, though, he’ll be closer to the former than the latter among the consensus. Verse was a top-10 performer in every drill he participated in, and his power is jaw-dropping on film.
KEEP READING: 2024 NFL Combine Results — 40-Yard Dash, Bench Press, Vertical, 3-Cone, and More
He was frequently compared to Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr., who was drafted third overall in last year’s draft and won Defensive Rookie of the Year, due to their similar measurements and play styles.
Scouts wanted to see just how good of an athlete he was, and Verse silenced any doubts about his ability at a rare size. Many thought Verse was in contention for a top-15 pick last season if he declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, and that hasn’t changed.
The NFL Combine should never be the ultimate yes/no decision for any one prospect, but with his performance in Indianapolis, the question for Verse isn’t if he makes it into the first round, it’s now, “How high?”
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