Notre Dame Linebacker Jaylen Sneed Is Growing His Game

Notre Dame junior linebacker has seen his game grow quite a bit during the spring

Notre Dame junior Jaylen Sneed looks the part of a modern linebacker. Sneed came to Notre Dame with high expectations and now, as he goes through the spring with his eyes on his upcoming junior season, Sneed is looking to show that his play can match his potential. 

"I feel like it’s helped me so much just knowing I’ve been here for three years and all the freshmen look up to me and know I have the keys to the defense now,” Sneed said this week. "I feel like I’m getting to the point where I’m getting comfortable everywhere and just playing in Al Golden’s defense for three years has really helped me be able to just setting down and play everywhere.”

Sneed played sparingly as a freshman in 2022, which ended up as a redshirt season. He saw action in just four games that season but saw a jump in play to all 13 games last year. The majority of it came on special teams, but he saw reserve action at linebacker as well. “Consistency” and “details” are two key words that Irish linebackers coach Max Bullough and defensive coordinator Al Golden have used when explaining Sneed’s keys to finding more playing time. 

"(Sneed is) much more consistent (this spring),” Golden said of Sneed. "It's slowing down for him and again, starting to just see him do a lot of things well, whether it's in the box, in the apex, third down, special teams — just, he's talented and he's starting to turn it into skill, which is fun.” 

Bullough says a flip switched for Sneed as soon as spring practice started. The details and consistency are falling into place and the rising junior with sophomore eligibility is seeing a spike in his comfort and overall level of play. 

"I feel like I’m so far along,” Sneed remarked. "This spring, getting out there and being able to get real world reps against the offense, especially playing against a new offense that we have with (offensive coordinator Mike) Denbrock. It’s been great because I’ve been able to learn so much against different formations.”

Sneed and Jaiden Ausberry are getting the majority of reps at Rover this spring. He is working his way into the role of a Swiss Army knife for the defense for all the roles he can fill. 

"He's really good in base and in space,” Bullough explained. "He's a glorified nickel, he and Jaiden, when we're playing Rover. So, he's in space. He's really comfortable coming from outside in. He's obviously able to cover ground in space. He's one of our faster guys out there, but he can really do it all. I mean, he covers the back well when he locks in and does it. Then on third down, we get him rushing to pass it. But his versatility in terms of, 'I can cover the back. I'm alright in space, and then I can rush the passer as well.”

Notre Dame’s linebacking unit is light on experience after the departures of JD Bertrand and Marist Liufau.  Sneed’s 17 career games are second among Irish linebackers to sixth-year grad student Jack Kiser’s 52 games of experience. 

"We’ve got to get him to his peak here pretty soon,” Golden said of Sneed. "I just think the versatility, right? He's got length, he’s sudden, he can cover in space, but if you just think he's out there to cover, then you can bring him. He can blitz. On third down, he can move around. Is he covering the back? Is he rushing the quarterback? Is he a spy? Can he drop from wherever he's aligned? 

"What I'm describing is hard,” Golden continued. "If one person can do that, that's pretty good, and he can. So, we do ask him to do a lot, but he's settling in and I love his attitude right now and just excited to see him grow. Physically, he's growing. Mentally, he's grown. He's more mature. So, just where his next three months go.”

If Sneed can build on his spring performance and carry it into the fall the Irish linebacker unit should continue being a strength of the Irish defense.

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