2023 Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 55 Days (Venson Sneed Jr.)

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

The 2023 edition of the Hoosier Huddle Countdown is officially underway! We are counting down from 100 to the beginning of the 2023 Indiana University football season. Each day, we will take a look at one (or two) players on the current Indiana football roster and highlight the player’s role in the upcoming season. Today’s profile features a redshirt freshman the Hoosiers are hoping can provide some pass rush: defensive end Venson Sneed Jr.

Name: Venson Sneed Jr.

Hometown: Winter Park, FL (Winter Park High School)

Position: Defensive Line

Year: Redshirt Freshman

Height/Weight: 6’4”/251 pounds

Finding a pass rusher that can cause issues off the edge is something every college program is constantly searching for. Of course, since every team is looking for players that can provide that and the particular body-type and skillset required is not all that common, these players are hot commodities. It has been a while since the Indiana Hoosiers have had a consistent pass rusher that can just line up across from a tackle and beat them, wreaking havoc on an opponent’s offense. Venson Sneed Jr. is certainly not there yet but Indiana hopes he is a player that can provide pass rush in the near future. A redshirt freshman with intriguing potential, Sneed enters the 2023 season as a breakout candidate at defensive end.

Venson Sneed Jr. played defensive end at Winter Park High School in the Orlando area of Florida and earned a four-star designation as a prospect. He committed to Indiana and joined prior to the 2022 season, appearing in two games. Sneed was considered a raw prospect but a terrific athlete with the kind of length coaches search for in defensive ends. Sneed was the defensive scout team player of the week against for the Michigan game and he has now had another offseason to bulk up and adjust to the collegiate game. Sneed is not ready to start and the coaches knew that.

The depth of the defensive line was a concern so the Indiana Hoosiers added multiple transfers to the group and turned it from a potential weakness to a strength. At the Bull position, the Hoosiers have Myles Jackson, Lanell Carr and TeDarius Collins. On the interior, IU has returnees LeDarius Cox and Patrick Lucas along with transfers Philip Blidi and Marcus Burris. The defensive end position is really interesting thanks to the addition of Andre Carter. Carter appears poised to be the Indiana Hoosiers best defensive player and a potential NFL Draft pick. Carter has the ability to play inside for some formations and he can’t play every down. That’s where Sneed comes in.

Ideally, he’s a pass rush specialist and he’ll be used accordingly this season with an eye towards developing him behind Carter to step into a more prominent role in 2024 and beyond. Sneed has the athleticism and length to get to the pass rusher and one key sack or forced fumble or even a quarterback pressure could prove pivotal in a close game.

The countdown continues with a new profile each and every day so come back to hoosierhuddle.com daily!