Jared Verse, the defensive end who was projected as a first rounder for the 2023 NFL Draft, has decided to stay at Florida State for another season in a decision that surprised many, according to ESPN’s Andrea Adelson.
Verse decided he wanted another year with the Seminoles, making his decision official during an announcement on Saturday, and now joins quarterback Jordan Travis, leading rusher Trey Benson, leading wide receiver Johnny Wilson and several others who have already announced they would be back in 2023.
“Obviously, the money is a big factor in it. But my biggest factor was, ‘What can I improve on?'” Verse said. “I just have to look at myself and say, ‘OK, every day, I’ve still got a lot to improve on, I’ve still got a lot to be better at.
“I did what was best for me, and what was best for me was coming back and competing with my team.”
Verse committed to play for the Seminoles after starting his career at FCS Albany, where coaches noticed his raw potential and signed him in 2019. Verse would spend three years in Albany, developed his body, and became a force on the defensive side of the ball, becoming one of the most coveted players in last year’s transfer pool.
“I feel like I showed that I could play at this level, which a lot of people did not think I could do,” Verse said. “I feel like there’s so much more I could have done, there is so much more I expected of myself that I was not able to complete. I do feel like I still have to show I can play at an even higher level, expand that gap between me and the next person behind me.”
“I think that’s the one thing that brought me over the hump of indecision,” Verse said. “I’m like, OK, they’re all coming back. I’ve still got something to prove, too, maybe I should think about coming back with them. It was a big decision. It’s not like it’s white and black. There’s a little gray in between.”
