DE Verse, projected 1st-round pick, stays at FSU
Florida State defensive end Jared Verse made a pros and cons list as he weighed his future over the past two weeks, trying to determine whether to leave school and become a potential first-round NFL pick or stay for one more year and improve.
Ultimately, Verse decided he wanted another year with the Seminoles, he announced Saturday, joining quarterback Jordan Travis, leading rusher Trey Benson, leading receiver Johnny Wilson and several others who have already announced they would be back in 2023. His decision, though, might come as a bit of a surprise to some.
Verse has consistently been projected as a first-round pick over the past several months. In his latest NFL mock draft, ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid has Verse going at No. 11 . In a phone interview with ESPN, Verse said that the feedback he got from the NFL was consistent with the projections out there but that he believes he has much to improve on, and plenty to prove.
“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.”
It just so happens Saturday marks one year to the day that Verse committed to play for the Seminoles after starting his career at FCS Albany. The fact he has risen so fast up NFL draft charts is remarkable considering how his career began. Verse was an undersize tight end in high school with zero FBS scholarship offers.
Albany coaches saw his raw potential as a defensive end and signed him in 2019. Over three years in Albany, 6-foot-4, 248-pound Verse transformed his body and became an unstoppable force at end with 21.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, 15 quarterback hurries, 2 forced fumbles and 1 pass breakup in 15 games. With production like that, Verse became the most coveted player in the transfer portal last year.
Verse chose the Seminoles in large part because he trusted in coach Mike Norvell, and because he saw the success the Seminoles had with Jermaine Johnson, a transfer from Georgia who became a first-round pick.
Over the past year, Verse has proved he can play at an elite level, earning first-team All-ACC honors after leading Florida State with 7.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss. But he missed one game to injury and was limited in several others as a result, and not getting in a full season at full strength also played a role in his decision to return.
“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.”
When it comes to making the improvements he wants to make, Verse specifically pointed to his decision-making, something he believes will be improved in his second year as an FBS player. “My decision-making at some points sometimes was not the best, like when I’m going into pass rush moves, or reading the run block to the passing,” Verse said. “Just quick, small things where I feel like I can sharpen my iron.”
Norvell told ESPN that when Verse came to him with his decision, he made it seem as if he was leaving.
“Jared likes to have fun, but it was a great feeling when he told me he wanted to remain here,” Norvell said. “I was happy for him and for our team because of the impact he has on the field and in our locker room. It was also a statement of his buy-in and belief in our staff and our program to continue developing him to reach his ultimate goals.”
Verse said the decisions Travis, Benson, defensive tackle Fabien Lovett and others made to return also impacted his decision to come back.
“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.”
Florida State went 10-3 this past season, its first 10-win season since 2016. With many of its best players returning, the expectations will only rise headed into the offseason.
“We have leaders who have been in this program for multiple years now, and they set the tone,” Norvell said. “We’re moving toward being a player-led team because of the work and buy-in of guys like Jared and Jordan Travis and Kalen DeLoach and Trey Benson and Renardo Green and Rob Scott and Maurice Smith. The list could go on and on. Whether guys get here from high school or through the portal, our emphasis is on fit, and Jared is an important piece that showcases what that fit looks like. We have high expectations in our program, and there are no limits on what we can achieve.”
The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.
Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.
On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.
With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.
Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet
Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.
Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet
Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.
Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet
Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.
Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.
2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.
Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet
Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.
Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.
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