Notre Dame football: 3 spring game breakout candidates for 2023
![South Carolina Gamecocks tight end Nate Adkins (44) reacts to his run as Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Jaylen Sneed (17) looks on during the first quarter of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl of an NCAA college football game Friday, Dec. 30, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]Jki 123022 Ncaaf Nd Usc Cp 4Syndication Florida Times Union](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2Fe0d07d8b6a0ab6979e8204dac095e6643db3d86f93ef8b6e265892136e5d61b2.jpg "South Carolina Gamecocks tight end Nate Adkins (44) reacts to his run as Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Jaylen Sneed (17) looks on during the first quarter of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl of an NCAA college football game Friday, Dec. 30, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]Jki 123022 Ncaaf Nd Usc Cp 4Syndication Florida Times Union")
I’ve been high on Jaylen Sneed ever since he was a five-star recruit. He was the No. 34 overall recruit in the 2022 recruiting class, per the 247Sports Composite, and he had three dozen offers before choosing Notre Dame.
As a freshman, though, he was rather quiet.
He finished his first season with seven total tackles and a tackle for loss and played in just four games so he could maintain that redshirt. Now, he’s fighting for a spot on the two-deep at linebacker and I think he’s going to secure it with a strong spring showing. He’s easily one of the most talented players on that defense, he just needs an opportunity.
Right now, he’s sitting behind Jack Kiser, but I’m fairly confident that we’ll see Sneed playing a prominent role this season in South Bend and potentially starting by the end of the year.
I’m high on Sneed and I think his stock is about to take off.