The Rams were so confident in the impact carrying over outside linebacker Jared Verse and defensive end Braden Fiske's chemistry from Florida State would have, they traded up 13 spots in the second round to ensure they could draft the latter.
Their investment in that reunion paid off tremendously.
"We drafted them to bring an element of disruption from the front four or front five, depending on whether you're in base, nickel, all those things," general manager Les Snead said back in early November. "To keep it simple, we drafted them to help us disrupt and I think they're doing their part in helping us disrupt opposing offenses."
Fiske finished the regular season with a team-high 8.5 sacks, and Verse added 4.5. Trench Warfare publisher Brandon Thorn, who analyzes offensive line and defensive line play, had both players in his Top 50 for True Pressure Rate following Week 18. Verse was third at 52.5, trailing only Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (58.3) and Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (59.3). Fiske was tied with Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed and Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead for 48th at 28.8. Both were also Top 50 in fewest pass-rush snaps per pressure.
Their growth coincided with Los Angeles' pass rush finding its stride toward the middle of the season; Verse was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for September, and Fiske followed suit for November as the defensive front gained better ownership and understanding of their pass-rush opportunities, while also learning to play off of one another.
"I'm glad we're just step-by-step competing," Fiske said after winning Defensive Rookie of the Month for November. "That was probably the coolest thing coming in to the Rams with Jared, is that this is going to be the best thing for our careers because I know it's going to take our work ethic to the next level. We're going to compete. I'm not going to make it easy on him, and and I know he's not going to make it easy on me going forward."
"I mean, I'm watching the film, because obviously, during the game, I'm kind of focused on my matchup," Verse said after the Rams' Week 9 win over the Seahawks, when Fiske had two sacks. "I'm getting close, and I'm like, even literally the one (sack), I'm walking across back, I'm like 'Oh yeah!' I'm starting to reach my arms out. All of a sudden I see some 55-wearing (person), sliding, like, hitting this dude hard as hell right into me. And I'm trying to like fall on it, 'I'm like, bro, get half of that.' That's his whole sack. But just to see him go out there and ball out the way he did, it means a lot. I mean, I see how hard he works. I see all the extra work he does that doesn't go into the media, the Instagram pages and all of that stuff. But he deserves it."
That carried over into the playoffs, as they collectively chipped in 3.5 of the defense's 16 sacks, the most through a Divisional Round in the Super Bowl era.
When end-of-season awards began rolling out, the Pro Football Writers of America named Verse their Defensive Rookie of the Year and both players to their All-Rookie Team. Both are finalists for the Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year award.
Head coach Sean McVay said the first thing that stood about both of them when watching their film was "the toughness, the edge and the competitive stamina" they both had.
"You dive into their background and you hear about how they worked, how they loved the process and how they positively poured into one another. That was illustrated immediately when they came in," McVay said. "I think that's why you didn't see those guys hit the rookie wall. They got better as the season went on. They're grown men. You hear me throw that term around, but that's what we're looking for. We're looking for men. They were that. They're going to be really vital pieces for us moving forward."
They also continued to challenge one another in a positive way just as they did at Florida State, and the Rams reaped the rewards.
"They just have a look in their eye that when you challenge them, they respond the right ways," McVay said. "I'm really proud of those two guys. I'm proud of that rookie class as a whole but Jared and Braden, they push one another in a good way. When you look at what we needed to do to be able to get both of those guys with our first two picks, they sure delivered. I think the best thing about it is neither one of those guys… I think they're proud, but they're not going to be content. They're going to continue to challenge themselves moving forward and I'm going to be on them."
