Jevan Snead, a highly-touted quarterback out of the University of Mississippi, is entering the 2010 NFL Draft following his junior year. Just the second Rebels quarterback to throw for 2,000 yards in consecutive seasons, he ranks second all-time in school annals in passing yards (5,394) and passing touchdowns (46). The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder transferred from the University of Texas to Ole Miss in January of 2007, and after two strong seasons at Mississippi, is regarded as one of the top prospects at his position going into the NFL draft. Check back often at NFLPLAYERS.COM to get diary updates from Snead as he chases his dream of making it to the next level.

My football career got going as a freshman in high school when I moved from Eden, a small town in Texas to a big 4-A school called Stephenville High. I played on the freshman B-team because I had just moved there over the summer, and the following year, I was on the JV team for part of the season before finishing with the varsity. So for my junior and senior years, I started on the varsity squad and only lost two games as the starter. I also took summer classes in high school so that I could graduate early. I thought it would help me football-wise at the next level, and because of that, I was able to enroll at the University of Texas in December of 2005.

Around that time, the Longhorns were coming off winning a national championship and I had a feeling before that, Vince Young would leave early, so I wanted to get to Texas as early as possible to learn the offense. Colt McCoy is a year older than me and he had already been there for a year, but I was still able to compete with him for the starting job in spring ball. When the start of the season came around, Colt got the go-ahead and I got a little playing time here and there, but nothing substantial. So, I came to the conclusion that if I wanted to fulfill my dream of becoming a starting quarterback in the NCAA, then I needed to look elsewhere because he was their guy. Plus, Colt’s a great quarterback and it worked out well for him.

After looking at a few schools, it basically came down to TCU and Ole Miss. Ultimately, I chose Ole Miss because it plays in the SEC and that really sold it for me. Now that I’m leaving Ole Miss for the NFL, a few of the memories that stand out include going 9-4 and winning the Cotton Bowl, beating LSU at LSU and beating Florida at Florida as a sophomore. Those are the types of games you’ll always remember. And then this past season we again went 9-4 with another Cotton Bowl victory. We were the first Rebels team with back-to-back nine-win seasons since the ’60s, so it was not only special for me, but also for the school.

I know it’s going to be tough leaving Ole Miss, but there are so many different things that factored into my decision to leave school early. I graduated from Ole Miss in December, which was a big factor. From a football standpoint, from the time I was a kid and first had a football in my hand, I knew I wanted to play in the NFL. I see where I am today and have a legitimate chance to go out and capture that dream now. The future is full of uncertainty, but I feel like this is the right time to pursue my dream of playing in the NFL.

When I speak with NFL teams at the Combine, I’ll explain to them that I feel I have all the physical tools and intelligence to have success at the next level. I’m a smart guy, earned my degree and I’m a student of the game. I love football and play with passion. When it comes down to it, I know I can make every throw on the field and I know I can throw with the best of them. In addition, I’ve always been a winner and I plan on that continuing as I go forward.

Right now, I’m doing my best to get ready for the NFL by training at this facility called the PLEX in Houston, where a lot of prospects are working hard for a chance to compete in the league next season. I can’t put into words just how valuable the experience has been, and I’m just fortunate to be working with a top-notch quarterbacks coach in Jerry Rhome.

One of the interesting things about working with Jerry is that he trained Kevin Kolb at the PLEX a few years ago, and Kevin actually went to the same high school as me. He was a senior when I was a freshman, and we talk every now and then, which is great for a young guy like me. I’m fortunate to call Kevin a friend and to be able to call him with any questions that I might have.

With the Combine just days away, my goals are to give it all I’ve got and throw well with the other talented quarterbacks that will be working out. I want to show teams that I can throw just as well as the other quarterbacks, if not better. I’m really excited for this opportunity and will fill you guys in on the details soon.

-As told to NFLPLAYERS.COM’s Mike Donnelly