The Cleveland Browns were nearly dominant on defense last season, finishing fourth in the NFL in total defense. A major part of their success last season was the record-setting performance by Myles Garrett, who set the all-time sack record with 23.0. Garrett has been moved to the Rams, and replacing him is a formidable pass rusher in his own right: Jared Verse.
With the ESPN top 100 recently released, Verse would come in at number 69, somehow dropping down 14 spots from his 55 ranking in 2025:
The Browns traded a two-time Defensive Player of the Year in Myles Garrett, but Verse was a cornerstone, not a consolation prize, for Cleveland in the blockbuster deal. The 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year is already one of the league's best power rushers.
He has been adding more moves to his repertoire this offseason, and he thinks returning to a three-point stance in the Browns' 4-3 scheme will give him even more sack opportunities. -- Daniel Oyefusi
Fairly criminal work by ESPN to lower Verse's ranking so dramatically, but we press on. What made things even worse was his projected sack total of 8.0, which most Browns fans will be expecting him to eclipse fairly easily, as he should land right around 12.0 sacks or more in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Where did Jared Verse rank in ESPN's Top 100 NFL Players?
