Benny Snell

{{Short description|American football player (born 1998)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2020}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Benny Snell Jr.

| image = Benny Snell (51654591509).jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Snell with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021

| current_team =

| number =

| position = Running back

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|2|26}}

| birth_place = Columbus, Ohio, U.S.

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 10

| weight_lb = 224

| high_school = Westerville Central {{nowrap|(Westerville, Ohio)}}

| college = Kentucky (2016–2018)

| draftyear = 2019

| draftround = 4

| draftpick = 122

| pastteams =

| status =

| highlights =

| statleague = NFL

| statweek =

| statseason =

| statlabel1 = Rushing yards

| statvalue1 = 982

| statlabel2 = Rushing average

| statvalue2 = 3.6

| statlabel3 = Rushing touchdowns

| statvalue3 = 7

| statlabel4 = Receptions

| statvalue4 = 17

| statlabel5 = Receiving yards

| statvalue5 = 114

| statlabel6 = Receiving touchdowns

| statvalue6 =

| pfr = SnelBe00

}}

Benjamin Snell Jr. (born February 26, 1998) is an American professional football running back. He played college football for the Kentucky Wildcats. Snell is the great-nephew of former New York Jets running back Matt Snell. His father, Benjamin Snell Sr. is an alumnus of Ohio Northern University, played in the NFL Europe and the XFL.{{Cite web |last=Greenawalt |first=Tyler |date=March 1, 2019 |title=Kentucky's Benny Snell Jr. wants to follow in great uncle's footsteps with Jets |url=https://jetswire.usatoday.com/2019/03/01/kentucky-benny-snell-jr-matt-snell-jets/ |access-date=December 8, 2019 |website=Jets Wire |language=en}}

Early life

Snell Jr. attended Westerville Central High School. During his time there, he won two Ohio Capital Conference titles. During his junior season, Snell Jr. rushed for 2,077 yards while scoring 26 touchdowns on the ground, he also had two receiving touchdowns that year. As a senior, he totaled 1,826 rushing yards, 264 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns. Snell Jr. was rated as a three-star recruit.{{Cite web |last=Giambalvo |first=Emily |date=September 27, 2018 |title=Benny Snell Jr. will make you believe in Kentucky football |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/sports/2018/09/27/benny-snell-jr-will-make-you-believe-kentucky-football/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928154727/https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/sports/2018/09/27/benny-snell-jr-will-make-you-believe-kentucky-football/ |archive-date=2018-09-28 |website=Washington Post}} He chose Kentucky over Iowa, Cincinnati, Boston College, Toledo and West Virginia.

College career

=Freshman=

As a freshman in 2016, Snell rushed for 1,091 yards, breaking the Kentucky freshman rushing record which was held by Moe Williams.{{Cite web |date=September 26, 2018 |title=KSR Timeline: Benny Snell's Rise to Fame |url=https://kentuckysportsradio.com/football-2/ksr-timeline-benny-snells-rise-to-fame/ |access-date=September 18, 2020 |website=Kentucky Sports Radio |language=en-US}} Snell Jr. managed to score 13 rushing touchdowns. During his freshman season, Snell Jr set six Kentucky freshman records, including most rushing touchdowns in a game (4), most rushing yards by a freshman (1,091), most rushing touchdowns by a freshman (13), most total touchdowns by a freshman (13), most 100-yard rushing games (5) and most rushing yards by a freshman in a single game (192). At the end of his freshman season Snell Jr, was selected as a True Freshman All-American by ESPN and 247Sports, Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Freshman All-American, Freshman All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) and a Second-team All-SEC pick by Pro Football Focus.

=Sophomore=

As a sophomore in 2017, Snell rushed for 1,333 rushing yards and scored 19 rushing touchdowns. Snell Jr. became the first Kentucky player with 10 or more career 100-yard rushing games prior to his junior season. He became the only SEC player since 2000 to have at least 116 rushing yards and at least three rushing touchdowns in three consecutive games. Snell Jr. became the ninth player in school history to reach 2,000 rushing yards in his career and the 19th player in SEC history to reach 2,000 career rushing yards prior to his junior season. He became the only player in school history to have back-to-back 1,000 rushing yard seasons. Snell Jr. was selected as a preseason Associated Press All-SEC First-team{{Cite web |date=August 23, 2018 |title=Tennessee's Trey Smith Named to Coaches Preseason All-SEC First Team |url=https://www.chattanoogan.com/2018/8/23/374982/Tennessee-s-Trey-Smith-Named-to-Coaches.aspx |website=www.chattanoogan.com}} and All-SEC Second-team. In addition, Snell Jr. was put on the Doak Walker Award Watch List and the Maxwell Award Watch List.

=Junior=

As a junior in 2018, Snell rushed for 1,449 rushing yards and scored 16 rushing touchdowns. Snell Jr. became one of four running backs in SEC history to have three consecutive 1,000 rushing yard seasons, the others being Herschel Walker, Darren McFadden, and Alex Collins. Snell Jr. would also become the school's career rushing yards leader after scoring on a 12-yard touchdown run against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the 2019 Citrus Bowl. This 43-year-old record, previously held by Sonny Collins, was broken in just three seasons by Snell.{{Cite web |last=Terry |first=Derek |date=January 1, 2019 |title=Benny Snell becomes Kentucky's all-time leading rusher |url=https://247sports.com/college/kentucky/Article/Kentucky-football-Benny-Snell-rushing-record-127160258/ |access-date=September 18, 2020 |website=CatsPause}} Snell was voted First-team All-SEC by SEC Coaches.{{Cite web |title=2018 All-SEC Football Team announced |url=http://www.secsports.com/article/25450830/2018-all-sec-football-team-announced |access-date=September 18, 2020 |website=www.secsports.com}} He would announce on December 14, 2018, that he would forgo his senior season and enter the 2019 NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=Hale |first=John |date=December 14, 2018 |title=Benny Snell headed to NFL draft but will play for UK in Citrus Bowl |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2018/12/14/kentucky-football-benny-snell-declares-nfl-draft/2314215002/ |access-date=September 18, 2020 |website=The Courier-Journal}}

=Career statistics=

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

! colspan="16" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Kentucky Wildcats}};" | Kentucky Wildcats

colspan="2" | || colspan="5" | Rushing || colspan="3" | Receiving
YearTeam{{tooltip|Att|Rushing attempts}}{{tooltip|Yds|Rushing yards}}{{tooltip|Avg|Yards per rushing attempt}}{{tooltip|Lng|Longest rushing attempt}}{{tooltip|TD|Rushing touchdowns}}{{tooltip|Rec|Receptions}}{{tooltip|Yds|Receiving yards}}{{tooltip|TD|Receiving touchdowns}}
2016Kentucky1861,0915.948132390
2017Kentucky2621,3335.171199720
2018Kentucky2891,4495.05216171050 |0
colspan=2 | [https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/benjamin-snell-jr-1.html Career] || 737 || 3,873 || 5.3 || 71 || 48 || 28 || 216 || 0

Professional career

{{NFL predraft

| height ft = 5

| height in = 10 3/8

| weight = 224

| dash = 4.66

| ten split = 1.65

| twenty split = 2.73

| shuttle = 4.33

| cone drill = 7.07

| vertical = 29.5

| broad ft = 9

| broad in = 11

| bench = 16

| arm span = 31

| hand span = 9 3/8

| wonderlic =

| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |title=Benny Snell Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/benny-snell/3200534e-4530-2466-8118-0bfea2b80406 |access-date=August 29, 2019 |website=NFL.com}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1020302&DraftYear=2019 |title=2019 Draft Scout Benny Snell Jr., Kentucky NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile |access-date=January 14, 2023 |website=draftscout.com}}

}}

=Pittsburgh Steelers=

File:WAS at PIT Photo 143 (50696277696).jpg

Snell was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round with the 122nd overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.{{Cite web |date=April 27, 2019 |title=Steelers select Snell Jr. in fourth round |url=https://www.steelers.com/news/steelers-select-snell-jr-in-fourth-round |website=Steelers.com}}

In Week 13 against the Cleveland Browns, Snell rushed 16 times for 63 yards and his first career rushing touchdown in the 20–13 win.{{Cite web |date=December 1, 2019 |title=Duck's Dynasty? Backup Hodges leads Steelers by Browns 20-13 |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401128107 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202101856/https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401128107 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 2, 2019 |access-date=December 1, 2019 |website=ESPN |agency=Associated Press}} In Week 17 against the Baltimore Ravens, Snell rushed 18 times for 91 yards and a touchdown during the 28–10 loss.{{Cite web |date=December 29, 2019 |title=Despite lacking star power, Ravens beat Steelers 28-10 |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401127950 |access-date=December 29, 2019 |website=ESPN |agency=Associated Press}} As a rookie, Snell finished with 108 carries for 426 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.{{Cite web |title=Benny Snell 2019 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SnelBe00/gamelog/2019/ |access-date=January 7, 2020 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}

Snell's first big breakthrough came on Monday Night Football against the New York Giants in Week 1 of the 2020 season after starter James Conner suffered an injury. He finished with 19 carries for 113 rushing yards as the Steelers won 26–16.{{Cite web |title=Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Giants - September 14th, 2020 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202009140nyg.htm |access-date=September 18, 2020 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}

In Week 15 against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football, Snell recorded 107 yards from scrimmage and a rushing touchdown during the 27–17 loss.{{Cite web |title=Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals - December 21st, 2020 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202012210cin.htm |access-date=2020-12-21 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}

=Detroit Lions=

On August 10, 2023, Snell signed with the Detroit Lions.{{Cite tweet |user=Lions |number=1689661389512540160 |title=#Lions announce roster moves: Sign QB Teddy Bridgewater and RB Benny Snell Waive G Logan Stenberg Place RB Justin Jackson on Reserve/Retired list}} He was released on August 29, 2023.{{cite web|title=Lions announce roster moves|url=https://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-announce-roster-moves-x4161|website=DetroitLions.com|date=August 29, 2023}}

=NFL career statistics=

class= "wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Team

! colspan="2"| Games

! colspan="5"| Rushing

! colspan="5"| Receiving

! colspan="2"| Fumbles

GPGSAttYdsAvgLngTDRecYdsAvgLngTDFumLost
2019PIT

| 13 || 2 || 108 || 426 || 3.9 || 23 || 2 || 3 || 23 || 7.7 || 14 || 0 || 1 || 1

2020PIT

| 16 || 3 || 111 || 368 || 3.3 || 30 || 4 || 10 || 61 || 6.1 || 14 || 0 || 2 || 1

2021PIT

| 17 || 0 || 36 || 98 || 2.7 || 9 || 0 || 2 || 13 || 6.5 || 7 || 0 || 0 || 0

2022PIT

| 14 || 0 || 20 || 90 || 4.5 || 16 || 1 || 2 || 17 || 8.5 || 11 || 0 || 0 || 0

colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SnelBe00.htm Career]6052759823.6307171147.214032

References

{{Reflist}}