Willie Snead IV

Willie Snead IV (born October 17, 1992) is an American football wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He played college football at Ball State.^[1]

High school

Willie Snead IV played his freshman year at Glade Central High School in Belle Glade, Fla. The Snead family then moved to Michigan where Willie Snead III took the head coaching job at Holland Christian in Holland, Mich. Holland Christian went 14-0 in 2008 winning the state championship. Willie Snead IV as a sophomore was one of the top receivers with 35 receptions, 543 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns.^[2]

Another move to Muskegon took Willie Snead IV to Muskegon Heights High School where he would play his final two years of high school football. His senior year, Snead was named Michigan Division 5-6 Player of the Year by the Associated Press.^[3] At Muskegon Heights Snead played quarterback and in his senior year he threw for 2,200 passing yards with 13 touchdowns and one interception. He rushed for an additional 1,083 yards and nine TDs. Snead also played defense as a linebacker and safety with one interception and 76 tackles.^[4]

College career

2011 season

Willie Snead IV started four games for the Cardinals in 2011. In his first start, Snead IV recorded 180 receiving yards (11th best single game receiving yardage in Ball State history) and a touchdown against Army.^[5] His first career reception came at South Florida and his first career touchdown catch came vs. Buffalo. Ball State would finish the season 6-6 with another win over Army 48-21 and notable losses to #22 ranked South Florida and #2 ranked Oklahoma. Snead IV would finish his freshman season with 327 receiving yards and 2 touchdown catches.^[6]

2012 season

In the 2012 season Snead IV started in 12 games and played in all 13. At the end of the 2012 season Snead IV was tied for third on Ball State's single season receptions and third for single season receiving yards. In his sophomore season, Snead IV ended the year 25th in the nation on receiving yards per game averaging 88 yards per game. Snead IV would finish the season with 89 receptions, 1,148 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns. His 9 touchdown catches gave him the 6th best single-season record in Ball State history.^[7]

The Ball State Cardinals would finish the 2012 season 9-3 with important wins over #25th ranked Toledo 34-27, the then Big East’s South Florida 31-27 and, for a second year in a row, the Big Ten’s Indiana Hoosiers 41-39. The three regular season losses came to the #12 ranked Clemson Tigers, Kent State and Northern Illinois. Both Kent State and Northern Illinois would go on to be ranked in the top 25. Willie Snead IV would start for Ball State in the 2012 Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl game in St. Petersburg, Florida where they were ultimately defeated by the Central Florida Golden Knights 38-17.^[8]

2013 season

Snead IV helped to lead the Ball State Cardinals to another successful season, finishing 10-3. Willie Snead IV and quarterback Keith Wenning under head coach Pete Lembo helped the Ball State Cardinals become bowl eligible for the third consecutive year. Snead IV had 100 yards or more in receptions in 9 games in 2013. He finished the 2013-14 season with 106 receptions for 1,516 yards and 15 touchdowns. Snead IV's 1,516 yards set the single-season receiving record at Ball State.^[9][10]

Snead IV entered the 2014 NFL Draft after the 2013 season.^[11][12]

Statistics

Willie Snead IV is one of only two players in Ball State history to have two 1,000 yard receiving seasons. Snead IV ranks 4th in Ball State history with 223 career receptions. With 2,991 career receiving yards he ranks and 3rd in Ball State history. Willie Snead IV has more games with 100+ yards receiving than any other player in Ball State history, currently holding the record with 13. Snead IV’s 26 touchdown catches currently ranks third in career TD receptions at Ball State.^[13]

Professional career

Cleveland Browns

Snead went undrafted in 2014 but he quickly signed as an undrafted free agent with the Cleveland Browns.^[14] Snead gave a strong showing during the Browns training camp and secured playing time in the preseason games.^[15] In the Browns second preseason game vs the Washington Redskins Snead pulled down two passes from Johnny Manziel. Both were called back due to penalties called on other players. His first true reception came on a 15-yard pass from Connor Shaw. Snead finished the game with 3 receptions for 29 yards. At the end of the game Snead also tipped a Hail Mary pass into the hands of TE Emmanuel Ogbuehi. Snead made the final round of cuts with the Browns before being released.

Carolina Panthers

After an unsuccessful tryout with the New York Giants, Snead signed with the Carolina Panthers practice squad on September 23, 2014.^[16]

New Orleans Saints

Snead became a member of the New Orleans Saints's practice squad on December 11, 2014.^[17]

Snead had a strong training camp in 2015 and made the final 53-man roster. He finished his first full year in the NFL with 69 catches for 984 yards and 3 touchdowns. He drew desirable comparisons to former Saint Lance Moore.^[18]

Snead began 2016 as the Saints number two receiver. During his first game of the year, in a Week 1 loss to the Oakland Raiders, Snead caught 9 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown. He was part of a Saints receiving trio of Brandin Cooks, Michael Thomas, and himself that combined for over 350 yards receiving.^[19]

Awards

• Selected as a Biletnikoff Award Semifinalists in 2012 & 2013^[20]
• 2012 All-MAC First Team Offense
• 2013 All-MAC First Team Offense^[21]
• 2013 Honorable Mention WR All-American by Sports Illustrated^[22]

Personal life

His father, Willie Snead III,^[23] played wide receiver at Virginia and Florida and was drafted by the New York Jets in the 12th round of the 1989 NFL Draft.^[24]

References

External links

• Profile at CBS Sports
• Profile at ESPN
• Profile at Yahoo Sports