HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. – On Thursday night, they had talked about being teammates again in the NFL after being teammates together in college at Florida State.
Braden Fiske found out he would be linking up on the field with Jared Verse again early Friday evening, when Fiske heard Verse's voice on the other end of the phone after getting a call from the Rams when they were on the clock at the 39th pick in the second round.
"It's unbelievable," Fiske said. "It's just a blessing. I just cannot believe that happened."
The chemistry that benefitted the Seminoles last season will now be benefitting the Rams.
Verse said Friday that connection between him and Fiske on the field was so strong, they could run games along the Florida State defensive front just by looking at each other. Sometimes, it was as simple as a head nod, according to Fiske.
"I mean, it got to the point in the season where you get that head nod, just look at each other, and you knew what was coming," Fiske said. "It just got to the point where we were just playing off each other. He'd see something I get and I'd see something he'd get, and we'd just go out there making plays."
Fiske will join a defensive line that includes 2023 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist Kobie Turner, someone he noticed from afar last season as he pointed to the nine sacks Turner notched.
"He was defensive rookie of the year, and I want to be that guy next to him," Fiske said. "Be able to have someone I can learn from, play off of and learn the ropes from, because that's a big deal. Just super excited to get an opportunity with this defense."
Collectively, Turner, Verse and Fiske will be tasked with helping a defensive front adjust to life after Aaron Donald, but it's a challenge he's up for – especially knowing he'll get to do it with one of his closest college teammates by his side.
"I mean, not just a hall-of-famer, we're talking probably the greatest to ever do it," Fiske said. "Those are pretty big shoes to fill, but I'm just looking to compete and do what I do best, make a name for myself, be Braden Fiske out there and not anybody else. Me and Jared played long enough together and we've got a really good chemistry, and we just want to bring that to L.A. and build this defense and make something happen out there."
