Meet Jared Verse, the new face of the Browns defense

The Cleveland Browns just traded Myles Garrett, the best defensive player in football. The promising young edge they got back is 25 years old, a two-time Pro Bowler and the reigning face of a Los Angeles Rams defense that had to replace Aaron Donald two years ago.

His name is Jared Verse. You may have heard of him, but here’s the quick 411 on the centerpiece of the Browns return in the blockbuster trade.

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Jared Verse’s college career started at an FCS school

The Rams took him No. 19 overall in the 2024 draft and handed Verse a job that nobody would want. Donald had just retired and they wanted him to anchor their defensive front. Verse seemed like an unlikely choice.

Verse showed up at Florida State after two years at Albany, an FCS school in upstate New York, where he was named to the Colonial Athletic Association All-Rookie team in 2020. Two years there got him on Power 5 radars. He transferred to Florida State in 2022 and became a two-time All-American.

Jared Verse won 2024 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year

He made the Rams look smart.

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Verse won the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024 with 4.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss. He made the Pro Bowl and added two more sacks in the playoffs.

He finished 2025 with 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and another Pro Bowl nod. Pro Football Focus credited him with 80 pressures, 52 hurries and 20 quarterback hits.

What Jared Verse brings to the Cleveland Browns defense

Verse already replaced one legend in Donald, so the Browns are hoping he can do it again.

At 6-4 and 265 pounds, Verse is described as a player who fires off the ball, fights with heavy hands and turns into a load to bring down once he builds momentum. His play is better than his statistics.

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Why the Browns traded Myles Garrett for Jared Verse

Verse is seven years younger than Garrett and cannot sign an extension until after this season. ESPN reported the trade saves Cleveland roughly $30 million in cash while the Browns still walked away with a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second and a 2029 third on top of Verse.

Jared Verse returns to Ohio

Verse was born in Dayton, Ohio, but grew up in Berwick, Pa., about a five-hour drive from Cleveland. He starred at Central Columbia High School after one year in North Carolina. At Central Columbia, he was a three-time all-conference selection and ran on the state-champion 4×400-meter relay team.

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The anime car

Verse has a personality to match his game. A clip that circulated this week showed off his custom Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, a build that reportedly features graphics from Naruto, One Piece and Seven Deadly Sins.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is new Browns defensive star Jared Verse