Following the departure of Aaron Donald, and further back, Von Miller, the need for push up front for the Los Angeles Rams became overwhelming. With passing attempts and the willingness for teams to sling it through the air at an all-time high, the need for a presence within the trenches is a must for teams on the defensive side of the ball.
For general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay, a pair of the freshest faces for the Rams have been nothing short of sensational through the first four weeks of the 2024 campaign. Let’s break them down.
Jared Verse
Los Angeles’ headliner in the 2024 NFL Draft, Jared Verse hasn’t wasted time in asserting himself as one of football’s premier pass rushers. Through the first quarter of the season, Verse currently leads all rookies in pressures (17), displaying his ability to work through the chest plate of his opponent on a week-to-week basis.
A product of Florida State following a transfer from Albany, Verse’s power and spring-loaded hands, albeit elite, were a question for evaluators heading into the pre-draft process. Why so, you ask? For some, he was labeled a one-trick pony, an athlete who either won via power or not at all. Yet, early signs in his rookie season have showcased a player who has not only won similarly to the ways in which he did in the ACC but also a sack artist who has continued to improve in the nuances of his game to threaten both through the chest or to either shoulder.
How good has Verse been? Through four weeks, his 28.8% pass-rush win rate ranks only second to Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson, who has 18 more pressures than any other edge rusher in football.
Braden Fiske
As the pre-draft process progressed, Braden Fiske became one of my favorite ball players in the class. And while his success along the same defensive line as Verse (both at Florida State) was a joy to study, getting live eyes on Fiske at the Senior Bowl last February elevated him among the draft-eligible interior defensive linemen last spring.
What made him unique was his twitch at 300 pounds. The ability to beat guards off the snap is an elite trait, where Fiske can quickly step on the toes of opponents, win with his hands, and throw bodies to the side on his way to the quarterback. And that’s only half the battle. On early run downs, Fiske’s ability to slide, engage, peek, and pursue ball-carriers has remained on full display in his debut professional campaign. Specifically, in Week 4 against the Chicago Bears where Fiske’s four recorded run stops were a career-high.
Working alongside Kobie Turner (2023 third-rounder), who has also been outstanding for the Rams, Los Angeles has their interior tandem for both the now and the future. For Fiske, he’s totaled nine pressures the last two weeks and currently leads all rookie defensive tackles in that area with 13, ranking second only to Verse in total pressures among all qualified rookie pass-rushers.
