Jared Verse has the perfect reaction to being drafted by the Rams

Perhaps I am a bit too skewed to the human side of professional sports, but I have to admit that I get a little choked up sometimes when I witness the pure emotion and joy on a young man's face whenever he gets that call from an NFL team to announce that he is about to be selected in the NFL Draft.

The thrill of that initial news is the stuff that makes cheering for the LA Rams worth it. Not everyone can see the entire rainbow of positivity when it impacts that prospect for the first time. Then, when he shares the news with his family, and the elation that sparks from one family member to the other like electricity.

The video of the LA Rams GM Les Snead calling Jared Verse and the building joy on his face is fun to see. Then when the phone is handed off to Head Coach Sean McVay, the tension builds even further. But the room explodes when he hangs up the phones and in one continuous motion, turns to his family and says these immortal words:

"Rams!"

OLB Jared Verse.

The explosion of cheers and joy in the room that was deadly silent just moments before grabbed me and dragged me into that room. Jared Verse is going to play for the LA Rams, and he and his entire family are thrilled at the news. His father exclaims in an emotional hug: "You did it, boy. You did it."

And thus begins a new NFL career.

How thrilled are you about Jared Verse? We know the Rams tried and failed to trade up in Round 1. We learned later that the team was trying to pick Georgia TE Brock Bowers. But the recent history of this team is such that swinging and missing often delivers the next pitch sailing out of the park.

When the Rams failed to trade for RB Christian McCaffrey, they failed. But the team did benefit from the robust running of RB Kyren Williams in 2023. So too when the team tried and failed to trade for OLB Brian Burns, the team was blessed with veteran production out of rookie OLB Byron Young. When the team tried to trade up for TE Dalton Kincaid in 2023, the team eventually selected IOL Steve Avila. And now that the team has tried to trade up and select TE Brock Bowers, this team lands one of the best pass rushers in this rookie class: Jared Verse.

But where was Verse in the Rams pre-draft process? The team was linked to many Round 1 prospects, many of whom were projected to be selected far sooner than the Rams 19th overall pick. Well, it's smoke and mirrors, misdirection and prestidigitation once more. The team shrewdly covered their tracks because there are many teams that would love to piggyback on all of the hard work of the scouting department, leapfrog the team, and select that prospect for themselves.

It doesn't matter how a player gets here. The important thing is that the door and opened and Jared Verse is the first of many rookies to join this team for the 2024 NFL season. This team is no longer just fueled on talent alone. This team is harnessing the passion of the players.

Need an example of what that looks like? Then just replay the video clip several times. When Jared Verse says the word Rams, you can almost here the 'I'm coming home' sentiment in his voice.

Welcome to the #Ramily, Jared Verse.