Steelers 2014 NFL Draft Player Profiles – TCU CB Jason Verrett

Good friend Dave-Te’ Thomas of Scouting Services has finished his player profiles of several of the top 2014 NFL Draft prospects and over the course of the next few weeks I will be posting the ones that the Pittsburgh Steelers will more than likely have interest in. Being as TCU cornerback Jason Verrett was in for a pre draft visit on Monday, now is a good time to post his. Thomas has done these profiles for the NFL for several years and I know that many of you enjoy reading them.

JASON VERRETT
Cornerback/Return Specialist
Texas Christian University Horned Frogs
#2
5:09.5-178
Fairfield, California
Santa Rosa Junior College
Angelo Rodriguez High School

OVERVIEW

The Horned Frogs’ cornerback has been nicknamed “The Sandman” by professional scouts, as more often than not, he will “take a few Z’s” on the football field – as in taking on the opponent’s elite pass catcher, which is usually the “Z” (flanker) receiver. In two short seasons at Texas Christian, the Fairfield, California native has established himself as the best shutdown cornerback in the collegiate ranks.

No defensive back in the major college ranks were challenged by quarterbacks as often as Verrett was in 2012, as 105 passes were targeted into his area. Perhaps those passers looked at the 178-pounder and felt they could “high point” their tosses beyond the grasp of the slightly under 5:10 defensive back. On every occasion, it was the Horned Frog who proved his doubters wrong.

Of the 105 passes that came into his area, Verrett allowed just 30 of those attempts to be completed (28.57%). Opposing receivers soon found out that while he lacked the ideal size to challenge the taller flankers, tight ends and slot receivers he often faced, the TCU product could hit like Mike Tyson, making a lasting imprint when he “read his keys” and reacted in an instant.

On 47 of those 105 passes (44.76%), Verrett was successful in jamming and/or rerouting his pass coverage assignments away from the ball. His 22 passes defended (sixteen break-ups and six thefts) ranked second in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision ranks, while his six interceptions tied for sixth nationally and saw him share the Big Twelve Conference title in that category.

What was further impressive was Verrett’s ability to constantly make the big play and constantly frustrate any receiver that came into his “little piece of real estate.” As a junior, in addition to his six turnovers via interceptions, he killed 39 other scoring drives with his pass coverage expertise, registering 39 stops on third-down plays and three more on fourth-down snaps vs. the aerial game.

Verrett was also credited with eleven touchdown-saving tackles, making those “near impossible” stops after opponents managed to slip past other Horned Frogs. Further evidence of Verrett’s “shutdown” ability is the fact that he delivered 23 of his 63 tackles (36.51%) inside the red zone last season.

While opponents managed to complete just 28.57% of those tosses vs. Verrett, they hit on 61.09% of their attempts (201-of-329) vs. the rest of the Horned Frogs defense. Against Verrett, receivers averaged 7.90 yards per reception and just 2.26 yards per pass attempt vs. the then junior product. Against the rest of the Texas Christian defense, the opposition generated 12.96 yards per catch and 7.91 yards per pass attempt in 2012.

One of the most outstanding “run stuffing” performances by a defensive back during the 2012 postseason came when TCU faced Michigan State in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl. Verrett recorded eight of his twelve tackles in that contest taking down 243-pound All-American tailback Le’Veon Bell, limiting the Spartan to fourteen yards on those eight attempts (1.75 ypc). Against the rest of the Horned Frogs, Bell amassed 131 yards with a touchdown on 24 carries (5.46 ypc).

Verrett also proved to be one of the premier “shutdown” cornerbacks vs. opponents throughout a senior season that saw him play with a right labrum tear. Rather than undergo surgery, he started eleven games, limiting receivers to seventeen catches on the 52 passes targeted into his area (32.69%), making thirteen third-down stops while jamming and rerouting his coverage assignments away from eighteen other throws.

Jack might have been a “giant killer” while tending to his beanstalk, but Verrett made a habit of “slaying” any ball carrier or receiver that dared to challenge him on the football field. In three college seasons, he has time and time again lived up to any challenge or daunting task the coaches have asked from him.

He concluded his senior season having rerouted receivers away from 117-of-296 passes targeted into his area (39.53%). He deflected 41 other tosses, intercepted fourteen others and recorded 92 third-down stops with nine others on fourth-down snaps vs. the passing game. He added thirteen more third-down hits, two on fourth-down plays vs. the run and recorded 54 of his 207 tackles inside the red zone while registering a total of 31 touch-down saving tackles as a collegian.

Professional scouts see a lot of “old school” ability in Verrett, likening him to former Washington Redskins perennial All-Pro cornerback Darrell Green. Those scouts, his teammates and coaches and even opposing offensive coordinators, quarterbacks and receivers recognize that this Horned Frog is worthy of being compared to one of the finest defensive backs to ever play in the National Football League.

Based on his hard work ethic, practice habits and being a “student of the game,” it would not be surprising to see Verrett enjoy a twenty-year professional career comparable to the one Green enjoyed. Any scout that ventured to the TCU football office during the week leading up to the game, or in the offseason, would often see the left cornerback the solitary occupant of the team’s film room.

It is a trend that Verrett began once he arrived on campus in 2011, after spending his freshman season “back home” in California playing for Santa Rosa Junior College. He would spend his time during those film sessions eyeing each upcoming opponent’s best receiver, making note of the side of the field from which his opponent operated.

Ever since he put on a Horned Frogs uniform, Verrett would have head coach Gary Patterson assign the left cornerback to man that side of the field of the opponent’s top pass catcher. That implicit trust between player and coach soon became an unspoken agreement; Patterson’s assignments were merely formal acknowledgments of something that was already understood. “We’ll kind of already be on the same page,” said Verrett. “It’s pretty cool.”

“It gives you confidence knowing you can line up with him on the best,” said Patterson of his defensive standout. “He’s not the biggest corner, but he battles you and is smart about what he does. He learns on the field.” That’s a fitting sentiment given the start to Verrett’s career, which very nearly ended shortly after it began.

During his Texas Christian debut vs. Baylor in the 2011 season opener, Verrett recorded three solo tackles, but had barely acclimated to the Texas humidity when he landed a spot in the starting lineup. The game was televised nationally on ESPN, presenting a chance for Verrett to quickly gain recognition on the biggest stage on which he’d ever played.

Verrett attracted the wrong kind of attention. Robert Griffin torched TCU’s defense to the tune of six touchdowns, the first three coming at the expense of the newcomer, as there was confusion leading to missed assignments of the entire secondary on two scores and then the junior was “out-juked” by Randall Wright on a third touchdown catch by the slot receiver in a tough 50-48 loss to the Bears.

A short memory can be among a cornerback’s most coveted tools, but for Verrett — who only learned to play that position in junior college the previous season — that skill hadn’t yet been developed. As he sat on the bench while Baylor won the shootout, Verrett was mortified. His friends and family had witnessed his on-field nadir.

After the game, he made a round of phone calls: to his father at home; to his mother, who had attended the game; to his big brother, Tre; to Lenny Wagner, his coach at Santa Rosa. Verrett told them all he wanted to pack up and come home, but each countered with a message to stay the course.

“Man up,” his father said. Verrett even went to talk to Patterson — who now refers to the Baylor game as “the one where [Verrett] wouldn’t come out from underneath the covers” — to inform him that his first game at TCU would be his last.

Patterson’s response helped keep Verrett in place by reframing failure as a challenge to build character: “You’ve got to be able to handle adversity,” Verrett remembered his coach saying. “You’ve got to grow up.”

“I didn’t really want to quit,” Verrett recalls. “I was kind of lost. I was thinking of all the wrong things instead of just taking it as one game with 11 more to go.” After the meeting, Verrett embraced the clichés about taking things one play and one day at a time. He studied the film of his mistakes, looking for pre-snap reads he should have made and post-snap errors that proved costly.

Verrett came off the bench in three of his next five contests before regaining his starting job for the final seven contests. Since the Baylor contest, he would go on to limit his opponents to 26 completions of 74 passes targeted into his area (35.13%), good for 196 yards, an average of 7.54 yards per reception and 2.65 yards per attempt.

Verrett rerouted/jammed his coverage assignments away from 29 of those 74 tosses (39.19%) while picking off one throw and deflecting five others. He posted 24 third-down stops and one more on fourth-down vs. the aerial game and recorded twelve of his 58 tackles inside the red zone during the rest of the 2011 campaign.

Prior to arriving at Texas Christian for that 2011 campaign, Verrett was a member of the Angelo Rodriguez High School Mustangs football team, where he performed as a tailback while also seeing action in the secondary. He had followed his older brother, Warren (nicknamed Tre) as a member of the gridiron squad.

In 2007, he helped the Mustangs compile an 11-2 record in 2007 on the way to garnering All-Solano County League and team Back of the Year accolades. That campaign, he averaged 7.37 yards as a ball carrier and 33.33 yards as a pass catcher. He also scored four times for the offensive unit and made ten tackles with an interception.

As a senior, he again received All-League honors, in addition to being selected to the All-Sac-Joaquin Section/Division III team. He gained 785 yards with nine touchdowns on 76 carries (10.33 ypc), snared seventeen passes for 333 yards (19.59 ypc) and two scores, finding the end zone twice on four kickoff returns for 210 yards. On defense, he produced 34 tackles with four interceptions for 125 yards and another score in 2008.

Verrett did not get a lot of attention coming out of high school, ending up enrolling at Santa Rosa Junior College. “I had a friend who I was working out with and he had played at Santa Rosa and he said I should keep playing ball and if I was going to do that, Santa Rosa was the best place I could go,” Verrett said. “The coaches here at Santa Rosa have a great reputation for getting guys ready to play at the next level and we played against the top competition in JC every week practically.”

In his only season with the Bears Cubs in 2010, he received a three-star prospect ranking and was rated the 35th-best overall player and sixth-best defensive back in the junior college ranks by Rivals.com. That year, he received All-NorCal Conference first-team honors, starting the team’s final eight games.

In addition to taking over left cornerback duties, the freshman also excelled on special teams as a returner. He ranked sixth on the squad with 44 tackles (37 solos) that included three stops-for-los. He caused a pair of fumbles, recovered two others and blocked a field goal to set up a Santa Rosa scoring drive.

Verrett also deflected six passes and had four interceptions, advancing one for a Santa Rosa-record 99-yard touchdown vs. Foothill. He allowed just fifteen completions of 63 passes targeted into his area (23.81%) for 102 yards, as opponents averaged only 6.80 yards per reception and 1.62 yards per pass attempt (lowest figure for any player in the California Community College Athletic Association ranks in 2010).

On December 6th, 2010, Verrett informed the Texas Christian coaching staff that he had accepted their scholarship offer and would be a Horned Frog for the nest three seasons.
“Yep, I committed to TCU,” an excited Verrett told JCFootball.com about his decision. “I loved everything about the visit and when I committed, the coaches were really happy. They liked my quickness and my ball skills and they also liked the fact that I had four years to play three when I get there, so they have a while to work with me.”

While he put up solid tackling numbers at Santa Rosa College, Verrett admitted at the time of his signing that he still needed to work on his tackling technique. “I think, if I had to work on one thing, it would be my form-tackling,” Verrett admitted. “I mean, I can still come up and force the run and make tackles in the open field, but I can get stronger and bigger and have a little bit better form, so that’s what I plan to do this spring as I get ready to play at the next level.”

In addition to his offer from TCU, Verrett also had offers from San Jose State, Boise State and Texas-El Paso. Two years after making that “wise” decision to become a Horned Frog, Verrett is not only regarded as the best cornerback prospect eligible for the 2014 NFL Draft, but is the Big Twelve Conference’s favorite to garner Jim Thorpe Award honors, given annually to the best defensive back in college football.

Heading into the 2013 campaign, Verrett’s goal was extremely lofty: help the Horned Frogs make a push for their first BCS national championship. With nine starters back from last season’s 16th-ranked total defense and six starters returning on offense, TCU was looking to convert some of last year’s close losses — three of its five defeats came by seven points or fewer — into wins in its second season in the Big Twelve, but a rash of injuries left the Horned Frogs out of the bowl season completely, after compiling a 4-8 record.

Verrett, who graduated in December with a degree in general studies, prepped for his final collegiate campaign by not only working on his ball skills, but also by trying to grow more comfortable as a vocal leader. With the next generation of TCU defensive backs looking up to him, Verrett had a valuable tale to tell. “Everybody’s gonna face times where they feel they’re struggling or put down,” said Verrett. “I feel like my story will be able to uplift people going through the same situation.”

As the true leader, he played through a torn labrum in 2013, but still went on to gamely play in eleven contests. He picked off two passes, deflected fourteen others and recorded 39 tackles. He rerouted receivers away from eighteen of the 52 passes targeted into his area and made a total of seventeen third-down plays, including thirteen vs. the pass.

Verrett realized that surgery was the only solution to repair his right labrum tear, but he not only played most of the season with the injury, but also held off on surgery until March, 2014. His first agenda was working out for teams in late February at the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine. He put on an impressive show, as his 4.38-second clocking in the 40-yard dash was second-best for all cornerbacks and safeties in attendance.

Verrett then performed the vertical jump at 39-inches. Just two other defensive backs did better. He was timed at 4.00 in the 20-yard shuttle, second-best among all secondary players, while his 6.69 time in the three-cone drill ranked fourth-best. He then amazed teams at Texas Christian’s March Pro Day. Despite the impending shoulder surgery, he stepped into the weight room and performed in the 225-pound bench press, lifting the bar nineteen times. Among the cornerbacks at the 2014 Combine, Verrett’s bench press performance would have ranked fifth-best.

CAREER NOTES

Verrett started 34-of-37 games since enrolling at Texas Christian in 2011, as the Horned Frog recorded 160 tackles (117 solos) with ten stops behind the line of scrimmage, 35 pass deflections and nine interceptions for 35 yards in returns … His six pass thefts in 2012 not only tied for the Big Twelve Conference title and tied for sixth in the NCAA FBS ranks, but placed seventh on the school’s season-record chart … His six interceptions are the most by a TCU player since Jason Goss had eight thefts in 2002 … Among his 160 tackles, Verrett recorded 31 of those hits inside the red zone, including five on goal-line plays … As a Horned Frog, he produced 23 touchdown-saving tackles (twelve vs. the running game and eleven vs. the pass) … Had 235 passes targeted into his area, allowing 77 pass completions (32.77%) for 822 yards, an average of 10.67 yards per reception and 3.50 yards per pass attempt, as he was credited with 49 third-down stops and three more on fourth-down snaps, in addition to rerouting/jamming receivers away from 94 throws (40.00%) vs. the aerial game … Including his 2010 campaign at Santa Rosa Junior College, Verrett has registered 204 tackles (154 solos) while starting 37-of-45 games, making 13 stops behind the line of scrimmage … Also had 41 pass deflections, thirteen interceptions for 210 yards in returns (16.15 avg) with one touchdown … Caused three fumbles and recovered two others, blocked two kicks and gained 546 yards with another touchdown on 26 kickoff returns (21.00 avg), in addition to generating 167 yards on eleven punt returns (15.18 avg) … Credited with 34 touchdown-saving tackles during his entire college career (seventeen vs. the run; sixteen vs. the pass and one with the kickoff coverage unit) … His 99-yard return of an interception for a touchdown vs. Foothill College in 2010 set a Santa Rosa College record.

SEASON ANALYSIS

2013 SEASON

The Walter Camp All-American first-team selection was named All-Big Twelve Conference first-team and the league’s co-Defensive Player of the Year … Was also an All-American second-team choice by the Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, Sports Illustrated and USA Today…The Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist and Lott IMPACT Trophy quarterfinalist started all eleven games he appeared in, missing the Iowa State clash … Limited by a right labrum tear, but elected to put off surgery until March, 2014 … Finished with 39 tackles (31 solos) that included his first career sack among 3.5 stops for losses of 13 yards … Added a quarterback pressure that caused a fumble … Deflected fourteen passes and intercepted two others … Had 52 passes targeted into his area, allowing 17 completions (32.69%), as he rerouted his coverage assignments away from eighteen of those attempts, as he registered thirteen third-down plays vs. the aerial game … Eight of his tackles came inside the red zone, including two on goal-line plays … Was in on 23 running plays, posting four third-down hits, another on a fourth-down play, along with delivering four stops-for-loss (two solos, two assists), while also taking down ball carriers at the line of scrimmage for no gain three times vs. the ground attack … Had seven tackles with an 8-yard sack and three pass deflections in the season opener vs. Louisiana State, followed by seven more stops (5 solos) while breaking up a third-down pass attempt vs. Southeastern Louisiana … Posted two pass deflections in each of the Southern Methodist and Oklahoma contests, as he was in on six tackles, including one for a loss vs. the Sooners … Knocked down two throws and intercepted another vs. Kansas … Had his second interception for the year while also making five solo tackles in the Texas clash … Returned to action after missing the Iowa State game and on his first play, he caused a fumble vs. Kansas State, finishing with four solo tackles.

2012 SEASON

Verrett earned All-American first-team honors from The NFL Draft Report (rated the best cornerback in college football for 2012 in a consensus vote by that scouting information service’s personnel directors) and Sports Illustrated, adding second-team recognition from the Walter Camp Foundation and third-team accolades from the Associated Press … Selected All-Big Twelve Conference first-team by the league’s coaches and media … Was the Horned Frogs’ first defensive back to receive the Dan Rogers MVP Award since corner-back Tony Rand in 1992, and was also the first defensive player to be the Dan Rogers MVP since consensus first-team All-American defensive end Jerry Hughes in 2009 … Tabbed the best cornerback in the nation by CollegeFootballNews.com, as the left cornerback tied for the league lead and tied for sixth in the nation with six interceptions for 16 yards in returns … His six thefts rank seventh on the school season-record list and are the most by a Horned Frog in a season since Jason Goss had eight interceptions in 2002 … Led the Big Twelve and finished second in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision ranks with 22 passes defended (sixteen deflections), becoming the only player nationally to rank in the top ten in both categories … His sixteen pass break-ups were the most at TCU in a season since Jason Goss posted 24 in 2002 … Ranked fifth on the team with 63 tackles (46 solos), as he made five stops behind the line of scrimmage … Also blocked a field goal try in the West Virginia clash … Had 105 passes targeted into his territory (most for any defensive back in the FBS ranks), as opponents managed to complete just 30 of those chances (28.57%) for 237 yards, an average of 7.90 yards per reception and a league-low 2.26 yards per pass attempt … Rerouted/jammed his coverage assignments away from 47 of those incomplete throws (44.76% of overall targeted passes and 62.67% of the passes not caught by the competition) … Of the 75 incomplete passes targeted into his area, Verrett was personally responsible from keeping his assignment away from 92.00% of those attempts (69 total; 47 reroutes, six interceptions, sixteen break-ups) … Against the pass, Verrett delivered five touchdown-saving tackles (coming after other TCU defenders missed on their coverage assignments), producing 36 third-down stops and three more on fourth-down plays … Made 23 of his stops inside the red zone, including three on goal-line plays … In run support, the junior recorded 27 tackles, limiting those ball carriers to a total of 61 yards (2.25 ypc), as he was credited with six more touchdown-saving tackles (after TCU first- and second-level defenders missed tackles), making three third-down hits, in addition to stopping five runners at the line of scrimmage for no gain … Deflected four passes that would have been big gains, if caught, along with making three solo stops vs. Kansas … Denied Virginia pass catchers from getting into their routes, as his press coverage skills rerouted his coverage assignments away from eight incomplete tosses, in addition to deflecting another toss that was almost an interception. He also made four solo tackles in a 27-7 triumph … Had an interception, as he also deflected another toss and rerouted his coverage assignment away from two other pass plays vs. Iowa State … Picked off a pass to set up one touch-down drive and posted three solo tackles with a pass break-up vs. Baylor … Made eleven tackles, including two for loss, with three pass break-ups, making four of his tackles inside the red zone and five on third-down plays vs. Texas Tech … Verrett wasted little time establishing his presence, as he intercepted a Geno Smith pass, adding a pass deflection, four solo tackles, including one for a loss and also blocked a kick on a potential game-winning 36-yard field-goal attempt in the first overtime vs. West Virginia … Recorded his sixth interception for his junior campaign, as he also broke up another toss and delivered seven tackles (5 solos) vs. Texas … In a hard-fought 17-16 loss to Michigan State in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, Verrett registered a career-high twelve tackles (5 solos) that paced the Horned Frogs, as one of those hits came behind the line of scrimmage. He also deflected two passes and rerouted his coverage assignments away from four other throws.

2011 SEASON

Verrett received Sophomore All-American third-team honors from The NFL Draft Report and was named All-Mountain West Conference honorable mention by the league’s coaches … Started ten of the thirteen games he appeared in at left cornerback, making his Horned Frogs debut with the first unit in the season opener vs. Baylor … Came off the bench in the Air Force, Louisiana-Monroe and San Diego State clashes … Finished fifth on the team with 58 tackles (40 solos), including 1.5 stops for losses of two yards … Had one interception for a 19-yard return and deflected five other throws … Was torched for two touchdowns in his TCU debut vs. Baylor, but for the season, he allowed just 30-of-78 passes targeted into his area (38.46%) to be completed for 272 yards, an average of 9.07 yards per reception and 3.49 yards per pass attempt … Of the 48 tosses into his area not caught by his coverage assignments, he rerouted/jammed those receivers away from 29 incomplete tosses (60.42%), as he delivered 24 third-down stops and another on a fourth-down snap, in addition to producing five touchdown-saving tackles vs. the aerial game … Also made strides in run support, limiting ball carriers to 50 yards on 21 plays on the ground, where he added five more touchdown-saving tackles and four third-down hits … Registered twelve of his tackles inside the red zone and another as a member of the kick-off coverage unit … After being brought along slowly the first part of the regular season schedule, the coaches inserted Verrett into the starting lineup permanently for the final seven contests, and the defense immediately responded to the change … Prior to inserting Verrett into the starting lineup, the Horned Frogs had allowed averages of 267.6 aerial yards and 410.0 total yards per game. With Verrett playing with the first unit, they yielded just 194.71 yards passing and 310.0 yards in total offense per game.

2010 SEASON

Verrett earned All-NorCal Conference first-team honors from the league’s coaches at Santa Rosa Junior College … Was also named to the California Community College Athletic Association All-State team by JCFootball.com … Started the Bear Cubs’ final eight games at left cornerback, placing sixth on the team with 44 tackles (37 solos) that included three stops for losses of nine yards … Caused a pair of fumbles, recovered two others and blocked a kick … Deflected six passes and intercepted four others for 175 yards in returns, including a school record 99-yard touchdown return vs. Foothill … Scored on an 84-yard runback vs. Mendocino, as he generated 546 yards on 26 kickoff returns (21.00 avg), adding 167 yards on eleven punt returns (15.18 avg) … In addition to his scoring return, three of his other kickoffs and two of his punt returns preceded team touchdown drives and another kickoff set up a possession that ended with a field goal … Added five solo stops as a member of the kickoff coverage unit, including one touchdown-saving tackle … The freshman allowed just 15-of-63 passes targeted into his area (23.81%) to be caught, good for 102 yards, an average of 6.80 yards per catch, as his average of 1.62 yards per attempt was the lowest figure for any starting defensive back in the CCCAA … Rerouted/ jammed his coverage assignment away from 23-of-48 passes not caught by his opponent in his area (47.92%), as he posted nineteen third-down stops and five more on fourth-down snaps, delivering four touchdown-saving tackles vs. the aerial game … In run support, he had sixteen hits, collecting six touchdown-saving tackles while limiting those ball carriers to just a total of two yards, in addition to taking down runners at the line of scrimmage for no gain three times while posting two third-down plays and one more on a fourth-down snap vs. the rushing attack … Recorded eleven of his tackles inside the red zone, including three on goal-line snaps … Also had one reception for six yards … In the Bear Cubs’ first two games without Verrett in the lineup, the secondary yielded a total of eight touchdowns, including five aerial scores … With Verrett manning the left cornerback position, the team was charged with just twelve touchdown receptions during their final eight combined appearances.

INJURY REPORT

2012 Season … Verrett suffered a torn knee meniscus in his knee vs. Texas (11/22), but played in the season finale vs. Oklahoma and vs. Michigan State in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl before undergoing minor surgery to repair early in the Winter of 2013.
2013 Season … Bothered most of the year by a right labrum tear, eventually sitting out vs. Iowa State. Verrettt elected to postpone surgery until after TCU’s March, 2014 Pro Day.

AGILITY TESTS

4.38 in the 40-yard dash … 1.50 10-yard dash … 2.54 20-yard dash … 4.00 20-yard shuttle … 6.69 three-cone drill … 39-inch vertical jump … 10’-8” broad jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 19 times … 30 5/8-inch arm length … 9 ¼-inch hands … 72 ¾-inch wingspan.

HIGH SCHOOL

Verrett attended Angelo Rodriguez (Fairfield, Cal.) High School, where he was a teammate on the football field with present Cleveland Browns linebacker James-Michael Johnson …
Verrett’s older brother, Warren was also mentored by Mustangs’ head coach David Fishleigh … As a running back and defensive back, Verrett earned All-Solano County League honors as a junior and senior, in addition to receiving All-Sac-Joaquin Section/ Division III accolades and team Back of the Year honors on offense … As a junior, he helped the Mustangs capture the league title and rank 78th in the state after compiling an 11-2 record … Scored four times on offense in 2007, averaging 7.37 yards with three touch-downs as a ball carrier and another score while averaging 33.33 yards as a receiver … Also made ten tackles and gained 25 yards on an interception return … Some of his junior year highlights included a 44-yard touchdown catch, three tackles, an interception and five carries for 37 yards with two scores, including a 13-yarder vs. Fairfield … Rushed nine times for 67 yards vs. Armijo and collected 58 yards on seven runs with a 14-yard touch-down vs. Vallejo … In 2008, Verrett led the team to a second-place Solano County League finish and a 9-3 record, as he carried 76 times for 785 yards (10.33 ypc) with nine touch-downs, adding 333 yards and two scores on seventeen receptions (19.59 ypc). He also scored twice, including an 86-yarder, on four kickoff returns for 201 yards (50.25 avg), as he recorded 34 tackles (25 solos) and intercepted four passes for 125 yards, including another touchdown … Highlights from his 2008 season included the senior scoring on a 63-yard carry and a 43-yard reception while posting six tackles vs. Vacaville. He added a 26-yard interception return vs. Dublin and was in on four solo tackles while running seven times for 72 yards and a 22-yard score vs. Fairfield. Verrett totaled 72 yards on four runs, caught a pass for a game-winning 76-yard touchdown, posted six tackles and returned a kickoff 21 yards in a 35-28 decision over Deer Valley. He followed with four catches for 35 yards, four tackles and two interceptions, returning one 79 yards for a score vs. Armijo. He collected 81 yards on three carries that included a 50-yard touchdown, as he gained 20 yards on an interception runback and delivered seven tackles vs. Vallejo. Verrett had nine carries for 72 yards and two kickoff returns for 105 yards that featured an 86-yard scoring scamper vs. Bethel. In addition to posting six tackles, he tallied a career-high 146 yards on five carries with two touchdowns, including an 80-yarder vs. Benica. In the Hogan clash, he scored once on four carries for 63 yards, caught three passes for 47 yards and ran back a kickoff 75 yards for a score. In a 21-6 win over Woodland, he rushed twelve times for 74 yards and a touchdown. He ended the season with two touchdown runs on eleven tries for 64 yards vs. Casa Roble.

PERSONAL

Verrett is majoring in Sports Broadcasting at Texas Christian … Son of Cynthia and Warrenn Verrett … Older brother, Warren (nicknamed Tre) was also a running back and defensive back at Rodriguez High School, where the Fairfield native gained 240 yards with two touchdowns on 71 carries (3.38 ypc), adding 45 yards on four receptions during his junior season. As a senior, Warren completed an option pass for a 35-yard touchdown, averaged 4.72 yards as a ball carrier, 8.67 yards as a receiver and 28.2 yards as a kickoff returner in 2006. He also had three interceptions with four pass deflections, a fumble recovery and 27 tackles (21 solos) that campaign. As a junior, Warren … Both brothers were high school teammates of former University of Nevada and present Cleveland Browns linebacker, James-Michael Johnson … Born in 1991, Verrett hails from Fairfield, California.

PLAYER STATISTICS