The NFL often provides a humbling experience for rookies. Nearly every player has a memorable “Welcome to the NFL” moment, whether it’s taking a big hit, getting embarrassed on a play, or being chewed out by one of the game’s legends.
Current Cleveland Browns EDGE defender Jared Verse experienced one of those moments himself. During his time with the Los Angeles Rams, Verse faced plenty of talented divisional opponents, including one of the league’s most dominant offensive linemen.
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On NFL Network, Verse shared the story of how San Francisco 49ers All-Pro offensive tackle Trent Williams humbled him early in his NFL career.
Sep 9, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) and running back Jordan Mason (left) walk off of the field after defeating the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
“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,” Verse recalled.
“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 … 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.’”
Welcome to the NFL, Mr. Verse
Williams has long been regarded as one of the NFL’s best offensive tackles. He combines overwhelming strength with rare athleticism, making him one of the toughest matchups in football.
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Very few defenders have consistently found success against Trent Williams. For a young player like Verse, the matchup served as a reminder of just how steep the jump from college football to the NFL can be.
Cleveland Browns Jared Verse takes part in a drill during team OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus of the Cleveland Browns in Berea, Ohio on June 2, 2026.
At the collegiate level, athletic mismatches are common and often decide games. In the NFL, however, the talent gap is much narrower, leaving far less room for physical advantages alone.
Despite that early lesson, Verse has adjusted to the professional level with little trouble. Since entering the league, he has recorded 12 sacks, 22 tackles for loss, and 45 quarterback hits.
It’s also worth noting that Verse has yet to record a sack while matched up against Williams. It illustrates that while Verse has quickly emerged as one of the league’s rising young pass rushers, Williams remains the standard at his position.
Verse now faces another major challenge as he steps into the role vacated by Myles Garrett on the Cleveland Browns’ defense.