DE transfer Jared Verse feeling at 'home' with FSU defense this spring

Jared Verse has only been on Florida State's campus for about three months, and he has participated in just six spring practices.

But after Thursday's session concluded, when asked how he is adjusting to life with the Seminoles, the Albany transfer not only said he is feeling comfortable with his new team but that he feels like he's at "home."

That is obvious in his actions as well as his words.

While the 6-foot-4, 251-pound defensive end stands out because of his physique and athletic ability, he clearly fits in nicely with his new teammates.

During one play Thursday, as he chased quarterback Jordan Travis out of the pocket, Verse engaged in some light-hearted trash talk before forcing the athletic QB out of bounds.

"Me and J-Trav have an ongoing little beef, or whatever, about if I can sack him or not," Verse said. "I think I proved it enough (smiling). But when we were side by side, I was telling him he can't outrun me."

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Verse has indeed proven he can sack Travis -- and any other quarterback on the roster -- during the Seminoles' first two weeks of spring practice.

FSU reached back into the transfer portal in search of a top-flight pass-rusher when Jermaine Johnson and Keir Thomas played their final games, and Verse certainly seems to fit the bill.

While he's just a redshirt sophomore and might not be as polished as Thomas and Johnson, both of whom had played four or five years of college football before they arrived in Tallahassee, Verse has been dominant at times.

He admits it took a little time to get comfortable with the playbook and that it's been an adjustment going up against Power 5-caliber offensive tackles at practice, but for the most part, the transition from an FCS school to Florida State has been seamless.

"I've always prepared myself to play at this level," Verse said. "I've always tried my hardest to be the top. Not just FCS ... try to be the best. The top. So it's been a smooth transition."

Verse, who spoke with the media Thursday for the first time since spring practice started, also shared his opinion of another highly touted transfer who signed with the Seminoles this offseason -- offensive tackle Bless Harris.

Harris, a 6-5, 315-pound redshirt junior who started his career at Lamar University, has been one of the few offensive linemen who have given Verse trouble thus far.

"Bless is one of the best O-linemen I've ever seen," Verse said. "He's the one I always want to go up against. He's the one I always want to challenge myself with. ... I feel we make each other better every day."

The biggest challenge, however, might be those daily battles with Travis.

The redshirt junior quarterback has been working this spring on pushing the ball downfield and going through his progressions, but he also is never afraid to tuck the ball and make something happen when a play breaks down.

One of Travis' runs on Thursday drew "oohs" from teammates as he broke outside and appeared to be hemmed in by a pair of defensive backs. Just before they could make the play, however, he darted back inside and raced into the end zone untouched.

"It's definitely challenging," Verse said. "I've never gone up against a quarterback quite like him. I've been up against running quarterbacks and everything like that. But the way he can choose the smallest little gap and get right out of it. Or he can see a wide-open area, fake that way, everyone moves, and then bounce out (the other way)."

But Verse remains (playfully) steadfast in his opinion that he is every bit as fast as the Seminoles' starting quarterback.

So could he beat Travis in a race like the 40-yard dash?

"I don't want to say yes or no ... but yes," Verse said with a laugh. "Definitely!"

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