How the Kansas City Chiefs struck gold with rookie corner Sneed, who continues to shine
L’Jarius Sneed has enjoyed a tremendous rookie campaign.
The 6-foot-1, 193-pound Chiefs cornerback has recorded a sack in four straight games, including the postseason, and finished the regular season second on the team in interceptions (3) despite not playing in seven games (he spent six games on injured reserve and was rested in Week 17).
But for all his success, Sneed knows he wasn’t fully an NFL player until a welcome moment occurred in Week 11 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
“I went against a lineman — he was pulling — and I tried to go heads up with him,” Sneed recalled with a chuckle. “Six-6, 300 something-pound guy. You know the outcome; he put me on my bottom.”
The moment was one of a scarce few forgettable ones for the rookie. He’s been a star while playing both outside and inside, depending on the defensive alignment.
Even with his missed games, Sneed finished the regular season with seven passes defensed, 41 tackles, two sacks and three quarterback hits.
The Chiefs know they are lucky to have landed him with a fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
“I’ll tell you what, we got fortunate,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said. “I think had they had one of these draft do-overs, you can make a case with L’Jarius being selected in the first round.
“So, I guess we were maybe lucky, more lucky than smart with that one, because in retrospect he shouldn’t have been there in the fourth round.”
When asked his reaction to Veach’s comments, Sneed said he was humbled. And he didn’t disagree with Veach’s evaluation.
“I didn’t see that comment, but thanks to him,” Sneed said. “I feel like that myself, that I was a first-round draft pick.”
FALLING IN LOVE
The Chiefs knew what they were getting after drafting Sneed out of Louisiana Tech last year.
He came with the numbers after totaling 177 tackles, eight interceptions and 19 passes defensed over his four-year college career. He also brought versatility, having played both safety and cornerback in college. And then there’s the speed. Lots of speed, as evidenced by a 4.37 time in the 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.
Once he showed up in August for an abbreviated training camp, it didn’t take long for the Chiefs to know they had something unique in their new corner.
“I fell in love with LJ just watching his college tape and I was kind of a little bit shocked,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said. “You go ask around scouts and other people, and they didn’t have him (rated) high. I thought I was missing something, but I always liked him.
“When he came here for training camp ... even in meetings we could tell he’s a cerebral guy. Played a lot of positions in college, which led us to believe he could handle things mentally.”
Chiefs defensive backs/cornerbacks coach Sam Madison agreed.
“Once he got here, and I talk about it with a lot of players, once you see these guys’ footwork, their hand-and-eye coordination, you’re like, ‘OK, Coach, we have something very special,’” Madison said. “The first day that he got here, I just had to tweak one or two maybe small things. Once you tell him something, he spins it in his head and all of sudden he goes out there and applies it.”
Madison said Sneed’s ability to play all cornerback positions became a tremendous bonus to the defensive backs group.
“His speed and his size, and then just his mindset of being able to do certain things that you normally just see guys being able to do on the outside ...” Madison said. “The first day he got here talking about press (man coverage), using your hands, I knew right away that he was a special kid and he’s showing it to this day.”
With Bashaud Breeland serving a four-game suspension to start the season, the Chiefs didn’t waste time inserting Sneed in the starting lineup alongside Charvarius Ward.
Sneed started the season on a hot streak, too, recording interceptions in back-to-back games before suffering a shoulder injury in Week 3. He spent time on injured reserve and returned in Week 11 at a new position with Breeland back.
Now, the Chiefs rely on Sneed to man the nickel cornerback spot. Even in this new role, he’s been impressive and made big plays.
“I’m just glad that the young man fell to us because moving from safety, corner, corner to safety, and then this year asking him to go into the slot and play nickel, which is what he’s playing the past month or two, that is the sign of a really good football player,” Chiefs defensive backs coach Dave Merritt said. “He’s very intelligent and is able to absorb the information that you’ve given him because he’s able to play multiple positions.”
For Sneed, it’s all just a day at the office as he continues to develop.
“I’m still learning, still growing,” he said. “I have a lot of work that I have to put in.”
‘MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN’
Members of the Chiefs’ coaching staff weren’t alone in teaching and mentoring Sneed.
The rookie cornerback came to a team with established leaders for teammates. But more importantly, he’s in a defensive backs room with safety Tyrann Mathieu, a versatile player in his own right, and cornerbacks like Ward and Breeland.
Each has played a role in helping Sneed progress, and Madison has thoroughly enjoyed watching the veterans take on these mentorship roles.
“It’s just a match made in heaven that we were able to get this kid and bring him in here,” Madison said. “Then, having those guys to see that this kid can play and be able to help him. That’s what this locker room has really been about.”
Sneed, who admits he called himself the “Honey Badger” while in high school as a tribute to Mathieu, has leaned on the three-time All-Pro safety all season.
They share a common ground as interchangeable pieces in the Chiefs’ defensive secondary, after all, so it was only natural Sneed would seek out Mathieu’s advice when it came to playing multiple positions.
“He’s been in that situation where he has to move over here, move over there,” Sneed said. “He’s someone I can go to get help from whenever I need help. He’s helped me out tremendously.”
Merritt credits Mathieu for taking Sneed and others under his wing as one of the clear leaders on this team.
“That is a benefit that we have that most teams don’t have because Ty has played the position,” Merritt said. “The versatility aspect of this game is very beneficial to a team that has it. And a team that doesn’t have it and the player is a one-trick pony, he can only do one thing, I think that limits your ability in doing a lot of things the coordinator may want to do.”
The Chiefs clearly don’t have that problem. In Sneed’s case, they were highly fortunate to land a player who so far has outperformed his draft position.
And his best could be yet to come.
“I’m still just getting better, better and better,” he said. “And I know that God has a plan for my life, for my career. I’m very excited for it, though.”
His forward-looking approach has the Chiefs’ coaching staff excited, too.
“I’m excited for LJ and his family,” Merritt said. “I’m excited for the Chiefs family to be able to have a caliber player like him because from day one he has not batted an eye whenever I’ve asked him to move from left corner to right corner or from nickel to play a little safety.
“The kid just goes about his job and gets the job done.”
