In front of a packed Hilton Head Island High School gym on Wednesday night, South Carolina’s top high school football player made his college plans official.
After days of speculation when Brian Kelly left his top choice, linebacker Jaylen Sneed put pen to paper Tuesday to join Marcus Freeman and a new-look Notre Dame Fighting Irish squad.
“It’s amazing knowing that I’ve put in all the hard work and it’s finally coming true,” Sneed said. “Looking back at freshman year, I never thought I’d be here today, but the work and determination paid off.”
He’s the most prestigious football recruit that the Lowco has seen, even eclipsing former Hilton Head and now Seattle Seahawk defensive lineman Poona Ford. Sneed delivered a memorable 2021 season for BJ Payne’s group, becoming the first area player to ever earn the title of South Carolina’s Mr. Football and the first linebacker to win the award in its 27-year history.
A four-year starter on Payne’s defense, Sneed quickly blossomed into an elite athlete who could take on any task from rushing the quarterback to playing lockdown pass coverage. He spent time at nearly every position on defense but felt right at home playing linebacker.
After seeing his junior season cut short to just three games due to the pandemic, Sneed put together a magnificent senior campaign in a hybrid linebacker-safety role, making 101 tackles (11.2 per game) alongside eight tackles for loss, one sack, eight quarterback pressures, and two turnovers. His physicality and explosiveness off the snap was unmatched at the high school level, flying around the field to make plays with an unending drive and motor.
His effort and intensity carried over to special teams, using his elite athleticism to block a pair of punts. He also shined on the offensive side, taking over at quarterback midway through the year and rushing for 815 yards and 11 touchdowns to go with 210 passing yards and two scores.
Alongside winning the coveted South Carolina Mr. Football award at halftime of Saturday’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl, Sneed was also named a finalist for the High School Butkus Award and a semifinalist for the Maxwell Club National High School Defensive Player of the Year award. He was also selected to play in the prestigious Under Armour All-America Game, which will take place on January 2 in Orlando. Just a week later, he’ll begin his first semester as a college student at Notre Dame.
A 6-foot-2, 210-pound phenom with the strength and quickness to blow up plays in the backfield and the ability to play terrific coverage downfield, Sneed continued to rise up the national ranks and verbally committed to Notre Dame in July.
His plans were potentially thrown for a loop when Kelly suddenly departed for LSU earlier this month, and Sneed considered re-opening his options if the right coach didn’t take his place. Then Marcus Freeman, who Sneed had known since his time at Cincinnati, was promoted to head coach. On December 3, it was all but certain that South Carolina’s Mr. Football was headed to South Bend.
“It’s just an amazing place to be,” Sneed said. “I know it’s going to be a big adjustment, but I’m ready for it. If I put my head down and work hard, I can get through anything. I just can’t wait for the first gameday atmosphere, going to Ohio State and playing at Ohio Stadium is going to be crazy.”
Sneed couldn’t be more excited to make the jump to the highest level of college football this fall, but he’ll never forget the memories he made in the Lowcountry as a Hilton Head Seahawk.
“The Seahawk family is just a great place to be,” Sneed said. “I’ve learned a lot about decision-making and how to respect each other. Being a Seahawk has changed me forever and I will always be one in my heart.”
By Wes Kerr
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