Snelling intrigued by Ole Miss, says baseball atmosphere is 'unmatched'

McQueen, Nevada, outside linebacker Robby Snelling may not be geographically close to Oxford, Miss., but the two-sport star is more than familiar with Ole Miss.

"I watch their games and highlights on YouTube a lot," Snelling said. "I geek out for that kind of stuff."

The left-handed pitcher and linebacker at McQueen High School Isn't too familiar with the Southeastern Conference, but he said that he definitely knows how big of a deal it is to receive an offer from one of those programs.

"The offer from Ole Miss was cool to get," Snelling said. "The weather over there is different and that could take some getting used to but the atmosphere can't be matched."

The 6-foot-3, 208-pounder has been committed to the Cardinal since the summer of 2019, but he said he is open to any and all offers for football.

"All doors are open for both baseball and football," Snelling said. "Every offer I have is for both with the exception of Boise State, since they do not have a baseball program."

The top-100 baseball prospect in the 2022 class has seen his fastball top out at 94 miles per hour from the left side and he's even done some damage with the bat as well.

"I play centerfield when I'm not pitching," Snelling said. "My exit velocity off the bat has been up to 109 (MPH)."

With COVID-19 hampering his junior year for football, Nevada is aiming to get the football season in March with schools starting practice in February.

"It's frustrating," Snelling said. "We will only play six games and we won't have playoffs or a state championship. ...We're all just hoping we at least get to play."

Football-wise, his recruitment at Ole Miss was jump-started due to a friendship from a high school teammate.

"(Ole Miss walk-on) DJ Beckum played at my high school and his dad (Jawarski Beckum) is a strength coach at Ole Miss," Snelling said. "His dad contacted my dad and they sent my film over and after that an offer was extended."

Even though Snelling is 2,000 miles away, he's been watching Ole Miss on Saturdays for a while now.

"We're a football family," Snelling said. "My dad is my high school coach and we've always watched college football. ...We always watch Ole Miss play."

Snelling was quick to mention this season's success under first-year head coach Lane Kiffin and the familiarity he has being a fellow West Coast guy.

"The first thing my dad brought up was Coach (Lane) Kiffin and how good a coach he is and how good he is with his players," Snelling said.

Nevada's 8th-ranked football prospect told me where the Rebels' staff is recruiting him and how they see his skill set translating at the next level.

"They talk to me about playing the rover position," Snelling said. "Dropping into coverage, playing in space, but also being a force in run support as an outside linebacker."

As a sophomore, Snelling made 79 tackles for the McQueen Lancers. He also had 11.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, four total touchdowns, three passes defended, two forced fumbles and two interceptions.

Snelling's football offer sheet hasn't been affected that much by the shutdown, adding notable offers from the likes of Auburn, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Oregon. But the dual-sport star was quick to note that he isn't close to a decision because he wants to wait to see if the dead period is ultimately lifted in April.

"I want to take my visits so for now I don't think I'll be able to narrow things down," Snelling said.

He also mentioned that, despite the verbal pledge to Stanford for baseball, he will still get out and see what he can and if he feels like it's the right fit, he won't hesitate to make a decision.

"Distance really isn't a problem," Snelling said. "I want to go off and experience things on my own. ...If it feels right, I will pull the trigger."

Even though he hasn't been able to visit Oxford, he is well-aware of their affinity for two-sport stars.

"The ability to be a two-sport guy there is cool to see," Snelling said. "It's definitely something that I'm paying attention to."

The ability to throw in the mid-90's from the left side has intrigued some MLB scouts, but Snelling said that is something that is down the line in terms of dictating what he does at the next level.

"We're waiting on next summer before we start having those discussions," Snelling said. "That's my draft year and I've picked an advisor for that."

He said that it's something that he hasn't talked extensively about with his parents, but he didn't say he would shy away from the opportunity if it presents itself.

"We haven't really set a specific number but we've talked about how we would want something comparable to what kind of degree I can get in college and what kind of money I could sign for," Snelling said.

The plan is still set for Snelling to take trips this spring and summer to better familiarize himself with schools like Auburn and Ole Miss if the dead period is lifted so he can get a feel for what each school offers in terms of facilities and putting a face to a name.

"Right now I just hope we can meet face-to-face and see the campuses in person," Snelling said. "I want to be able to compare them after I see them for myself."

Snelling said he will make a decision in December but will not enroll early as he wants to play his final baseball season at McQueen.

"I'm looking forward to seeing Oxford for myself," Snelling said. "I've seen the showers at Swayze Field and The Grove on the internet, but I want to be able to speak with Coach Kiffin and Coach (Mike) Bianco in person. ...That guy is an awesome storyteller."