4. Jared Verse
Coming out of high school undersized and having no offers, Jared Verse quickly gained 47 pounds, and has now become one of the nation's most dominant defensive ends. After starting his career at Albany University and then recording two incredible seasons at Florida State University, Verse could return to where it all started in NY.
When looking at his two seasons in Tallahassee, many see drastic similarities between Verse and Will Anderson Jr., the No. 3 overall pick in last year's draft. For both players, dominant sophomore seasons were followed by slightly less impressive junior seasons. In Verse's case, having recorded 17 TFLs and nine sacks in 2022, his numbers dropped to 12.5 and nine, respectively. This didn't stop Anderson from having NFL success; experts expect the same from Verse.
Ultimately, Verse was an absolute problem in the ACC and is expected to show just how much of an athletic freak he is at the Combine. Verse's quickness, compared with his compact/balanced frame, will be a problem for OTs for years to come. Expect Verse's burst and explosiveness to impress teams at the Combine, and don't be surprised if you start seeing his name higher and higher on mock drafts as time goes on.