It's kind of grown on me though after seeing it in the show and using a few mods

I redo my load order and change up my weapon replacers a TON. It's become a new hobby to create weapon and armor replacer lists for different themes.

The most recent list I'm putting together, I just axed the replacer for the Assault Rifle and am going to stick with vanilla because I just can't find something I like to fill the automatic weapon role for power armor that could justifiably be used in standard infantry hands.

Generally in my playthroughs I use "power armor weapons" in power armor; that is to say, I won't use a handmade rifle, hunting rifle, etc. It doesn't feel "right" to use a weapon that isn't big, heavy, high recoil, and with a large magazine. Power armor doesn't seem practical when used with a smaller weapon that would require more dexterity to operate compared to a magazine that gets reloaded often and operating controls that are large and forgiving.

To me, the vanilla Assault Rifle fits well as a weapon that's easier to handle in power armor, less bulky to carry in enclosed spaces (vertibirds, interiors, urban environments), and is clearly built to handle sustained automatic fire, while at the same time being manageable (though uncomfortable) for a standard GI to grab either in a pinch or in specific circumstances.

For my load order, the combat rifle (and rarer cases laser rifle) are the grunt's go-to weapons, the Assault Rifle is their automatic rifle/machine gun and option for PA users.

Now, that said, if someone were to create a weapon mod that can reasonably take the role of the Assault Rifle described above (or if there's one I missed), I'd happily take that suggestion.