Jared Verse may only be a rookie but he’s going to make his voice heard on the field. He was vocal at Florida State and he’s been the same way during OTAs up to this point, which his teammate Byron Young loves to see.
In the latest episode of “Behind The Grind”, Sean McVay can be heard talking about how important it is to have a vocal leader on defense.
“Dog. You need a guy that has some (expletive) bark to him to go talk some (expletive) to people, too,” McVay said.
Verse is unapologetically loud. He spoke to Stu Jackson of TheRams.com recently and said he isn’t going to dial back his fiery attitude on the field – and he shouldn’t.
“That’s who I am,” Verse said. “I’m not going to shy away from hiding who I am. This is who I am. I talk a lot. I’m loud. I’m vocal. You gonna hear me. I make a play, you gonna see me hyped up. That’s just who I am. I can’t hide it. I’m not gonna pull back from anybody.”
With Aaron Donald no longer in the locker room, the Rams are looking for someone to step up as the leader of the defense. Ernest Jones will unquestionably be one of those guys, as will Kobie Turner, Tre’Davious White and Darious Williams. But it sounds like Verse is doing a great job of making himself heard on defense.
It’s a sign of his confidence and passion, and it stems from the fact that he’s been always felt doubted.
“I mean, it just comes from me always being doubted, and I really like to hear my voice. I want others to hear it, I want to be loud,” Verse said. “I really just like people to hear me. (Well), not even like to hear me, but it gets me more involved. When other people hear you talking, it gets them more involved, and just gives me, like, a lot more energy. It gives those around me a lot more energy, especially when we’re out there making plays. It just gets everybody hyped up and it just hypes me up. It’s more of a mental thing than anything.”
Verse is an essential piece of the defense in Los Angeles, even though he has yet to play an NFL snap. If he can bring leadership qualities in addition to being a productive pass rusher, the Rams will be elated.