HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. – Having begun his career at the FCS level and worked for Amazon and DoorDash during those two seasons at University at Albany (New York), new Rams defensive end Jared Verse knows a thing or two about hard work and the proverbial chip-on-shoulder.
"It makes you hungry," Verse said after being selected 19th overall by Los Angeles Thursday night. "There's a lot of players who get stuff just handed to them. Especially now in college football, you can be a great player and get a couple million just going to a school. But me, I had to be hungry. I didn't get anything at Albany, I used to have to work at Amazon, DoorDash, I used to have to do all those things to make ends meet."
That same hunger is what he'll bring to Southern California as the newest piece to Los Angeles' defense, a unit whose playing style and attitude he feels aligns very well with his own.
"I feel like it's meant for dogs," Verse said. "You can't be scared or timid in this defense. You have to be ready to hit somebody, you have to be ready to get after it, (and) that's my play style, for sure."
Verse is also already familiar with both the city and the team even before he was drafted.
He said he and his friends took a roadtrip from Phoenix, Arizona, to L.A. a couple years ago, and he's also been to the area a few times for commercials and Name, Image and Likeness opportunities.
And after hearing from members of the Rams coaching staff, nose tackle Kobie Turner was the first Rams teammate to reach out to him.
"Real quick, texted me, 'let me know if you need anything, don't even hesitate,' and I'm going to take him up on that offer. He going to regret saying that to me, with everything I need," Verse said jokingly.
There is no replacing a dominant force like former Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, but learning from him can certainly go a long way to making an impact on a young Los Angeles defense.
Verse said he spent "a lot" of time watching Donald, noting that his coach at Albany, Greg Gattuso, coached Donald at Pitt (during Donald's freshman year in 2010). They got to have a Zoom meeting with Donald during COVID, too.
"I got to pick his brain a little bit, I asked him a couple questions that actually helped me elevate my game," Verse said. "The biggest I took away from the questions I asked him was ... if you have a couple good moves and you execute them to the highest level, you can destroy everyone, and aggression beats everything."
Beyond that wisdom, Verse will also bring a tireless work ethic that will fit right in with the rest of the Rams defense.
"The thing I feel like I can give them the most is a dog," Verse said. "I come in with a lot of physical strength, I come in with a chip on my shoulder, and that chip's going to continue today. I love being a Ram, now I am one, but like, that chip's going to be on my shoulder no matter where I go. I'm hungry for this. I need this. This is my lifestyle, this is how I do everything, this is how I execute."
