Bucs rookie Snead eager to fight for roster spot

Bucs rookie quarterback Jevan Snead entered the NFL in a way few would have predicted.

Snead began his junior season at the University of Mississippi as a Heisman Trophy candidate. NFL draft experts believed he could be a first-round pick.

Snead's junior season began to spiral downward when he completed just seven of 21 passes for 107 yards and one touchdown during a 16-10 loss at South Carolina in September. He finished 2009 with 2,632 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, 20 interceptions and a 54.4 completion percentage.

The NFL's Advisory Committee told Snead he would be a fifth-round selection if he left school early. Instead of playing one more year to improve his stock, Snead elected to turn pro.

It appeared to be a bad decision. Snead was not drafted, eventually signing a free-agent contract with Tampa Bay.

Still, he believes he made the right choice.

"I had my degree," said Snead, 22, who majored in marketing. "I played a couple of successful seasons and I was just ready to move onto the next level. It's always been my dream to play in the NFL. I saw my chance to capture it and here I am."

Snead is currently the fourth quarterback on Tampa Bay's roster. With Josh Freeman firmly entrenched as the starting quarterback, Snead will compete with Josh Johnson and Rudy Carpenter to make this year's team.

"The good thing is we have two younger players in Josh Johnson and Rudy Carpenter that aren't that much older than him and haven't been in the league that long, so development wise, they shouldn't be much further along," Bucs offensive coordinator Greg Olson said. "He has an opportunity to come in and compete with those guys as opposed to a four-, five-, six-, 10-year vet guy. He should be on equal footing with those guys."

Snead could have been a step ahead of most quarterbacks had he stayed in school. Also, there have been questions about his willingness to compete.

When Snead graduated from Texas' Stephenville High, he was one of the nation's top recruits. He originally committed to Florida, but changed his mind after Tim Tebow decided to become a Gator.

Snead enrolled at Texas, but after eight games as Colt McCoy's backup in 2006, transferred to Ole Miss.

After a disappointing junior season, Snead was expected to battle Nathan Stanley and Raymond Cotton to start in 2010, but opted to turn pro. That decision led some to questions whether Snead was shying away from the Ole Miss quarterback competition

"I'm certainly not scared to compete," Snead said. "I had no doubt if I had gone back, the job would have been mine, regardless of competing or not. That's one reason I came out. There is a lot of competition in the NFL, so that should tell you something."

Bucs coach Raheem Morris recently said he would like to bring four quarterbacks to training camp, but would not commit to that number. If Snead can beat out Carpenter, he has a shot to become Tampa Bay's backup quarterback in 2010. A spot on the practice squad also is a possibility.

It is not the NFL route many imagined for Snead, but one he is embracing.

"The main thing for me was getting my foot in the door," Snead said. "I'm excited to be here and I look forward to my future here."