Jared Verse had the kind of stint with the Los Angeles Rams that you’d expect from a first-round pick. Although the Rams traded him to the Cleveland Browns earlier this offseason, the defensive end made an impact from the moment he entered the league. However, his matchup with San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams served as a reminder of just how different the NFL is from college football.

“It was against Trent Williams at SoFi Stadium,” Verse said on NFL Network. “He didn’t throw me to the ground or nothing like that. We were running a stunt game so I was going into the B-gap. They were trying to get outside of us, like a wide play. He got to my outside shoulder, and usually if somebody gets on my outside shoulder I’m able to just throw him off, move him out of the way, drop him to the ground. You can’t do that with Trent.

“I tried to move his hands, and it was like moving cinder blocks. I move his hands — chopping, doing all this stuff to get his hands off. I literally said, like, ‘Trent, get off of me.’ Trent’s got a deep voice. He literally just starts laughing and was like, ‘You so funny, Verse.’ We’re watching film the next day. My coach was like, ‘Jared, you’ve got to get off this block.’ I’m like, ‘Coach, I tried, I don’t even know what you want me to tell you. I tried my hardest.'”

The Rams had picked Jared Verse in the first round with the 19th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Williams, meanwhile, had already spent over a decade in the league. A former first-round pick, Williams stands at 6’5” and weighs over 300 pounds. So, when the Rams hosted the 49ers in Week 3 of the season at SoFi Stadium, it’s fair to understand how Williams was tough on the rookie DE.

Verse ultimately had an efficient rookie season with the Rams. In 17 games, Verse recorded 66 combined tackles, 36 solo tackles, and 4.5 sacks, while winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year and his first Pro-Bowl honor. He doubled down in his second season, as he finished the 2025 season with 58 combined tackles, 35 solo tackles, and 7.5 sacks, while earning his second consecutive Pro Bowl nod.

Fast forward to now, and while the Rams and the 49ers will surely face off against each other twice in the 2026 season, Verse will not be lining up against Williams. Earlier this offseason, the Rams traded the 25-year-old defensive end to the Browns in exchange for a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round pick for two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Myles Garrett. That said, Verse is now all set to start his third season with a new team.