cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Jaylen Sneed /Notre Dame

Jaylen Sneed

LB · Notre Dame · Jr · #3

Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.

35 TACKLES · 3 SACKS

2026 RETURNINGReturning to Notre Dame for 2026

2026 Outlook

Returning to Notre Dame for 2026

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Linebacker · Notre Dame

Returning around him

  • 37% of 2024 offensive production back (Moderate turnover)
  • 6 Notre Dame players drafted to NFL
  • Transfer portal: -8 net (7 in / 15 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Notre Dame · Last season: 10-2 (AP #9) · Talent rank #9 · 2026 recruiting class #12

LB · NOTRE DAME · FBS INDEPENDENTS

Jaylen Sneed

  • 3
  • #3
  • 6-2 | 228 lb
  • Hilton Head Island, SC

CFB Zeitgeist Score

68

Solid starter in the position cohort. Carried by sacks at the 89th percentile.

Heisman Heat

#5090

<1% win probability

Fan Belief

Awaiting

Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.

Respect Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

Reality Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

ACCOLADE PROBABILITY

Heisman

<1%

TOP LB AWARD

Butkus

CONSENSUS

All-American

Player Standing · 17 rungs

Tier 2 · Starter

R05 · Part-time starter

Part-time starter. Splitting first-team reps.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★★★
#34 national
CFB
College
Notre Dame
2022–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.

PositionLB
Class3
Jersey3
Measurements6-2 | 228 lb
HometownHilton Head Island, SC
Primary teamNotre Dame

Recruiting Pedigree

How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.

Top pedigree 5-star No. 34 recruit
Composite rating 0.9835 HighSchool
Signed with Notre Dame 2022
Origin Hilton Head Hilton Head Island, SC, USA
Class Profile Context
2022 5-star | 0.9835 No. 34 recruit | HighSchool | Notre Dame

Transfer Arc

Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.

Portal moves 0 No portal entry on file
Latest destination -- --
Transfer stars -- CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility -- Transfer date TBD
Season Move Context
No transfer portal moves on file for this player.

Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final

Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.

HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16
Current nowcast#5090Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#4579Where the full season sim points
Win probability0.0%Chance to actually win the trophy
Finalist probability0.0%Chance to make the finalist tier
Ballot probability0.0%Chance to appear anywhere on a ballot
Best official finish--Best completed Heisman placement on file

Heisman Futures

Not yet listed on major futures markets.

No achievements unlocked yet this season.

Selector Grid · 2025

AP
FWAA
AFCA
WCFF
SN
SI

Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.

NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft

Market value, pedigree & pro outcome

Recruit stars

★★★★★

to Notre Dame

Composite

0.9835

#34 national

Today’s Hot-Take

The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.

Anti-Take

PENDING

The contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.

The Room on Jaylen Sneed

Fan sentiment · Awaiting signal

The Room reads fan conversation around a player — who’s talking, what they believe, and how that shifts. It publishes once weekly volume rebuilds; for most players that’s in-season, when game-week chatter spikes.

Cohort divergence map

Cohort divergence reads how different fanbases talk about this player. Returns once weekly mentions clear the publish floor.

Rival Radar

How rival fanbases talk about Jaylen Sneed

No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.

Signature Story

Awaiting candidate metric

He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.

Signature Moment

No signature moment on the ledger yet.

Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.

A 3-act season arc returns once this player has six or more games on the ledger.

Season Pace · Projection

Where the defensive totals stand

projecting to 13-game
Through 12g
35Tackles
5Tackles for loss
3Sacks
Per game
3Tackles
0.4Tackles for loss
0.2Sacks
Projected (13g)
38Tackles
5.4Tackles for loss
3.2Sacks

To hit 80-tackle season (currently 35): needs 45/game over remaining 1.

To hit 100-tackle season (currently 35): needs 65/game over remaining 1.

To hit 6-sack season (currently 3): needs 3/game over remaining 1.

To hit 10-sack season (currently 3): needs 7/game over remaining 1.

Why this is a rare defensive case

The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.

Jaylen Sneed is trying to climb the steepest award hill in college football: a defensive candidacy. The hook is the disruption profile on Notre Dame's defense, with 3.0 sacks, 5.0 tackles for loss, and -- interceptions through the current loaded season. For a defender, the question is never just production; it is whether elite disruption and team context can become nationally undeniable.

Current place #5090 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load -- Role share still loading
Profile quirk Blue-chip pedigree No. 34 recruit

2025 Season · Final

Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.

Last season

DEF season snapshot

2025 season snapshot | final

2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Total tackles 35 23 solo | #1098/4942 (78th pct)
TFL 5.0 Backfield disruption | #553/4972 (89th pct)
Sacks 3.0 Pass-rush finish | #292/4972 (94th pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

High-disruption defender against FBS defenders.

High-disruption defender

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Tackling & Disruption

TOT
35 78th
SOLO
23 82nd
TFL
5.0 89th
SACK
3.0 94th
QBH
3 75th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 12 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppTKLSOLOTFLSACKINTPDNote
Wk 1L 24-27@ Miami310.00.00
Wk 3L 40-41vs Texas A&M321.00.00
Wk 4W 56-30vs Purdue220.00.00
Wk 5W 56-13@ Arkansas221.01.00
Wk 6W 28-7vs Boise State331.01.00
Wk 7W 36-7vs NC State100.00.00
Wk 8W 34-24vs USC621.00.00Season-high 6 tackles
Wk 10W 25-10@ Boston College331.01.00
Wk 11W 49-10vs Navy100.00.00
Wk 12W 37-15@ Pittsburgh630.00.00
Wk 13W 70-7vs Syracuse110.00.00
Wk 14W 49-20@ Stanford440.00.00
Total35235.03.00
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score

Traditional history

Traditional Stats

Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.

Season rows Career row

Season context · Team result + system

2022Notre Dame9-4HC: Marcus Freeman · Run-heavy
2023Notre Dame10-3HC: Marcus Freeman · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2025Notre Dame10-2HC: Marcus Freeman · Run-leaning, slow tempo
SeasonTeam
2025Notre Dame35235.03.0------
2023Notre Dame1451.01.02----
2022Notre Dame610.50.0------
Career3 loaded seasons55296.54.02----
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context

Advanced metrics second

Advanced Metrics

Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.

Usage Value Context
Disruption stats

TFL, sacks, and QB hurries are grouped together because defensive Heisman cases are usually built on visible havoc, not on tackle counts alone.

Coverage splash

Pass breakups, interceptions, and forced fumbles matter because national awards voters respond to plays that change possessions and highlight reels.

Peer percentile

Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.

Traditional first

The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.

INT -- -- pick-six TD
Pass breakups 0 Coverage disruption
QB pressures 3 Quarterback hurries | #462/1878 (75th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Defense Total tackles 35 #1098/4942 78th pct Volumevs FBS DEF
Defense TFL 5.0 #553/4972 89th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Sacks 3.0 #292/4972 94th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense QB hurries 3 #462/1878 75th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Solo tackles 23 #839/4584 82nd pct Volumevs FBS DEF

Player Standing

Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16

Why he’s here

Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.

What moves him up

What moves him down

Accolade streams

StatusAwaiting tracker

The Butkus award tracker integrates per-week probability once a dedicated scraper for this award lands. Confirmed past winners and finalists for this player will surface here.

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 12 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Home7g2.40.40.10.0
Road5g3.60.40.40.0

Win vs Loss

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Wins10g2.90.40.30.0
Losses2g3.00.50.00.0

First half vs Second half

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Weeks 1-76g2.30.50.30.0
Weeks 8+6g3.50.30.20.0

Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the LB cohort

68Solid starter
6 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: sacks (88th). Strength: qb hurries (81st). Concern: passes defended (17th).

Sacks#291 / 2975 · 89th pct
3.0defe
QB hurries#457 / 2975 · 82nd pct
3defe
Tackles for loss#553 / 2975 · 80th pct
5.0defe
Solo tackles#839 / 2975 · 71st pct
23defe
Tackles#1098 / 2975 · 62nd pct
35defe
Passes defended#1916 / 2975 · 18th pct
0defe

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Advanced Savant · LB · 2024

Percentile Card

Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.

P4G5All FBS
EPA / dropback
awaiting
CPOE
awaiting
Success rate
awaiting
Explosive rate (20+)
awaiting
aDOT
awaiting
Deep-ball accuracy
awaiting
Pressure-to-sack
awaiting
3rd-down EPA
awaiting
Red-zone TD rate
awaiting
Play-action EPA
awaiting
Scramble EPA
awaiting
Turnover-worthy play rate
awaiting

Advanced Savant

Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.

Advanced opponent-adjusted metrics are coming soon for this player. Selected cohort: P4.

Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match

Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile

3 peers · 6 metrics
Jaylen SneedNotre DameMarcAnthony ParkerNavy· 82% simEthan WesloskiNorth Texas· 78% simMicah DaveyUTEP· 78% sim
Sacks
89
Sneed
80
Parker
74
Wesloski
63
Davey
QB hurries
82
Sneed
88
Parker
95
Wesloski
82
Davey
Tackles for loss
80
Sneed
87
Parker
95
Wesloski
91
Davey
Solo tackles
71
Sneed
96
Parker
99
Wesloski
99
Davey
Tackles
62
Sneed
98
Parker
99
Wesloski
99
Davey
Passes defended
18
Sneed
18
Parker
18
Wesloski
18
Davey

Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.

Player DNA

The Balanced Linebacker

Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.

LB

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jared Bartlett’s 2022 season.

Jared Bartlett

83%match

West Virginia · 2022

#2

Markel Perry

Sam Houston · 2023

81%
#3

Jeremy Naborne

Colorado State · 2025

81%
#4

Tra Thomas

Temple · 2024

81%
#5

Marcus Ross

UL Monroe · 2025

79%

Matches Jared on

TFL rate
Sack rate
Tackle volume

Not enough data yet for this comparison.

As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to K.J. Cloyd's senior season at Miami (2023).

K.J. Cloyd

83%match

Miami · 2023

#2

Chibby Nwajuaku

Rice · 2025

81%
#3

Johnny Hodges

TCU · 2023

All-Big 12
77%
#4

Brandon Mack

Houston · 2024

75%
#5

Nick Henrich

Nebraska · 2023

74%

Matches K.J. on

Class year
TFL rate
Tackle volume

Differs from K.J. on

Sack rate (higher)

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Marcus Freeman

Pass share

44.0%

321 pass / 409 run

Plays / game

60.8

12 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

4.7%

257 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Run-leaning, slow tempo.

Coaching Lineage · 2022–2025

1 coach
2022
Marcus Freeman
Notre Dame
2023
Marcus Freeman
Notre Dame
2025
Marcus Freeman
Notre Dame

Played his entire career under Marcus Freeman.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.

HometownHilton Head Island, SC
Height6'2"
Weight228 lb
Class3
PositionLB
Jersey3

Trophy Case · Detail

Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.

Honors

No formal honors on the ledger yet

All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.

Honors Timeline

Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.

Season Honor Scope Team / Selector Context
No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned.

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
2024 Notre Dame LB3 #5090 #4579 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | FBS Independents
2023 Notre Dame LB3 #5460 #5653 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | FBS Independents
2022 Notre Dame LB3 #9570 #9124 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | FBS Independents

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Notre Dame FBS Independents LB 3 No. 3 | 6-2 | 228 lb | Hilton Head Island, SC
2024 Notre Dame FBS Independents LB 3 No. 3 | 6-2 | 228 lb | Hilton Head Island, SC
2023 Notre Dame FBS Independents LB 3 No. 3 | 6-2 | 228 lb | Hilton Head Island, SC
2022 Notre Dame FBS Independents LB 3 No. 3 | 6-2 | 228 lb | Hilton Head Island, SC