2025 NFL Honors: Rams’ Jared Verse wins NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year​on February 7, 2025 at 3:57 am

For the third time, a Rams player has NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. The award this year went to Rams linebacker Jared Verse, who also made the Pro Bowl this past season. Verse’s teammate, defensive end Braden Fiske, finished third in the voting. 

Verse is the first Rams player to win the award since three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year-winner Aaron Donald won the honor back in 2014. The first Rams player to win DROY was linebacker Isiah Robertson back in 1971. 

This season, Verse tallied 4.5 sacks, 66 tackles (11 for loss), two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He returned a fumble 57 yards for a score during the Rams’ wild-card playoff win over the Minnesota Vikings. 

Verse’s play this season helped the Rams clinch a playoff berth for a second straight year. The Rams also won their first playoff game since defeating the Bengals in Super Bowl XLVI. 

The Rams only Pro Bowl player, Verse wasn’t expecting that news when the Rams reached out to inform him of his accomplishment. 

“I thought I was getting fired,” Verse said at the time. “I took a nap after practice and I got three calls from Coach McVay. I’m like, ‘I’m getting fired. Oh my God.’ I didn’t know what I did. I thought I was doing pretty good. He’s like, ‘You made the Pro Bowl.’ It was really surreal though. It felt amazing. Relief was first though, but it felt good.”

It’s safe to say that Verse was less surprised about winning DROY on Thursday night.