Jared Verse likely has one of the better stories heading into the 2024 NFL Draft.

Verse will presumably be an early first-round pick, but it is a far cry from where he was five years ago as an under-recruited player with no stars and no recruiting ranking. He began his career at Albany after garnering no scholarships as a 0-star tight end out of high school. Verse turned a couple of productive seasons at Albany into a chance to transfer to the Seminoles and boost his draft stock.

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Verse recorded 89 tackles, 29.5 tackles for loss and 18 sacks across two seasons with the Seminoles, helping guide the program back to national relevancy under head coach Mike Norvell. FSU went 23-3 in Verse's seasons in Tallahassee, including a 13-0 record and an ACC Championship with him in the lineup in 2023.

Here's why Verse transferred from Albany (New York) to Florida State, including a scouting report, draft combine results and his recruitment from high school:

Jared Verse game vs Syracuse

While playing with the Great Danes, one play during his redshirt sophomore year made his Albany coaches realize that Verse was not long for the FCS level. Verse showed off his athleticism and skill from the opposite side of the field, chasing down then-Syracuse and now Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker on a long run in the first quarter. Verse could not prevent Tucker from scoring, but the Great Danes' coach knew Verse would transfer to a bigger program at that time.

”The transfer portal was just starting, no one knew what it was or how it was gonna go,’’ Greg Gattuso told The New York Post. “I said, ‘There’s no way he’s coming back.’ I knew we were losing him. He was the best guy on the field that day.’’

The Orange defeated Albany 62-24 in that Sept. 18, 2021, game, but Verse started to make a name for himself nationally.

Why did Jared Verse transfer to Florida State?

Jermaine Johnson transferred to FSU ahead of the 2021 season from Georgia. Following one season under Norvell and defensive tackles coach Odell Haggins, Johnson was drafted as the No. 26 overall player in the 2022 NFL Draft. Although Keir Thomas went undrafted out of FSU, he was another defensive end transfer success for Norvell and his staff.

For Verse, that success helped make it easier to transfer to Tallahassee. Verse committed to FSU over offers from Tennessee, Houston, Miami, USC, Oklahoma, LSU and other programs on Jan. 7, 2022.

"Me and (Jermaine) sat down, we spoke for an hour or so and he told me about his decision to come here. He believed in Coach Norvell and his vision. He was a truthful guy, he didn't lie to me at all. He told me the good, the bad, everything about Florida State, what he liked, what he didn't like," Verse said in a newcomer press availability in January of 2022. "The fact that a player was that honest with me versus most other schools where they might have been just trying to get me there, he kind of told me everything."

Why did Jared Verse return to Florida State in 2023?

Following his redshirt junior season with the Seminoles, Verse was seen as a lock to be a first-round draft pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He registered 48 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and nine sacks, showing off his dominance at the FBS level. Yet, with the return of quarterback Jordan Travis, running back Trey Benson, wide receiver Johnny Wilson, defensive tackle Fabien Lovett and the addition of talent like defensive lineman Casey Roddick and wide receiver Keon Coleman, Verse wanted a chance to return.

"I did what was best for me, and what was best for me was coming back and competing with my team," Verse said of his decision, per Bleacher Report.

Jared Verse high school

Verse is from Dayton, Ohio, but attended Central Columbia High School in Bloomington, Pennsylvania. He was a three-time Pennsylvania Heartland Athletic Conference selection athlete. During his senior season, Verse split time on both sides of the ball, finishing with 14 tackles, three forced fumbles on defense, and 15 receptions for 385 yards at tight end. Verse also played basketball and won the state championship as part of the 4x400 relay team.

Jared Verse recruit ranking

A 6-foot-3, 205-pound tight end, Verse did not have much experience on the defensive side of the ball, no stars, and no ranking by 247Sports. He said he held just one scholarship offer to play at the next level, one from FCS Albany. The Great Danes had Verse redshirt his freshman season in 2019, as he adapted to moving to the defensive line full-time.

Jared Verse combine results, measurables

• Height: 6-foot-3 ⅞ inches

• Weight: 254 pounds

• Hand size: 9 ⅞ inches

• Arm span:  33 ½ inches

• Wing span: 79 ½ inches

• 40-yard dash: 4.58 seconds (1.60 10-yard split)

• Bench press (225 pounds): 31 reps

• Vertical jump: 35 inches

• Broad jump: 10-feet-7 inches

• 3-cone drill: 7.31 seconds

• Shuttle run: 4.44 seconds

Jared Verse stats

Here is a year-by-year look at Verse's stats at Albany and with FSU.

• 2019: Redshirt

• 2020: 22 total tackles, 15 solo tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 9 QB hurries and 4 QB hits

• 2021: 52 total tackles, 31 solo tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 pass deflection, 9 QB hurries and 4 QB hits

• 2022: 48 total tackles, 22 solo tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 9 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 22 QB hurries and 2 QB hits

• 2023: 41 total tackles, 23 solo tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 9 sacks, 3 pass deflections, 1 fumble recovery, 1 forced fumble, 29 QB hurries and 15 QB hits

Jared Verse scouting report

NFL.com gives Verse a 6.73 prospect grade, which means he is a Day 1 starter by their grade. Draft analyst Lance Zierlein gives him an NFL comparison to former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley. Here's what NFL.com says about his scouting report.

"Talented edge defender with the field demeanor, athleticism and skill set to rack up statistics in key categories fairly early in his NFL career. Verse dominated at Albany and then showed an ability to do the same at Florida State. He’s twitchy and compact, with explosiveness featured at the point of attack and in his upfield burst as a pass rusher. He’s great with his hands and does a nice job of diagnosing plays quickly and staying out of the clinches of offensive linemen looking to snatch him up. Verse's ability to threaten the edge only bolsters his hellish speed-to-power bull-rushing ability to run tackles deep into the pocket. He can play up or down and should be in consideration for all defensive schemes looking to add a safe, high-impact edge."

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Why did Jared transfer to FSU? Seminole football star began career at Albany