Jared Verse’s outstanding first season in the NFL has ended with the highest honor for a defensive rookie.
At the NFL Honors show on Thursday, Verse was named the 2024 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. The Los Angeles Rams edge rusher is the first member of the franchise to win the award since Aaron Donald in 2014, and just the third player ever from the Rams to take home the honor; Isiah Robertson also won it in 1971.
Verse led all rookies with 77 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, recording 4.5 sacks and 18 quarterback hits in the process. He also notched 11 tackles for a loss, forced two fumbles and recovered two, not including the fumble he returned for a touchdown in the Rams’ playoff win over the Vikings.
NO DEB8️⃣TE.@JaredVerse1 is the Defensive Rookie of the Year! pic.twitter.com/7UNk5HWi8h
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) February 7, 2025
Verse, the 19th overall pick out of Florida State, had an immediate impact for the Rams and started all but one game as a rookie. He dominated from the start with ferocious bull rushes and impressive speed around the edge, consistently disrupting opposing quarterbacks in the pocket.
His best performance came against the Eagles in the divisional round when he had two sacks and three tackles for a loss, both of which either matched or set career-highs in a single game for him.
