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No matter what happens this season for the Rams, they’re going to have a lot of roster holes to fill next offseason. Similar to the draft this year, they could be looking for help at every single position.
The 2024 NFL draft is still 10 months away, but it’s fun to look at which prospects are projected to go early in Round 1, especially knowing the Rams could very well be picking near the top.
In ESPN’s latest mock draft from Jordan Reid, the Rams pick fifth overall and miss out on the premier quarterback prospects, Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. Blue-chip receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. also went before the Rams were up in this mock draft, as did offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu.
So at No. 5 overall, the Rams select the top edge rusher: Jared Verse out of Florida State.
The Rams’ roster is undergoing a youth movement in multiple spots, and they are in dire need of playmakers at edge rusher. Verse is a heavy-handed and active rusher, and after transferring from Albany, he quickly became the centerpiece of the Seminoles’ 2022 defense. He created pressure on 17.1% of his defensive snaps and recorded nine sacks last season. Verse is a contender to be the first defensive player off the board.
Verse only has one year of starting experience but he absolutely made it count in 2022 with 17 tackles for a loss and nine sacks, totaling 48 tackles in the 12 games that he did play. He has the perfect size to play outside linebacker in the Rams’ scheme, standing 6-foot-4 and 253 pounds, paired with impressive athleticism off the edge.
The Rams don’t have a single edge rusher on the roster right now who can even be penciled in as a starter next season, so they’re going to need all the help they can get at that position. Verse would be a fantastic short-term and long-term addition to the defense in 2024 and beyond.
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