The Curious Rise of the Long Snapper in College Football Recruiting

John Shannon considers himself to be living the dream every day. He's preparing to play college football for Notre Dame and follow in his father's and grandfather's footsteps, as both men once donned the blue and gold at the iconic Notre Dame Stadium just north of South Bend, Indiana.

At 6'2" and 235 pounds, Shannon has the size to be a linebacker—similar to his grandfather, Dan Shannon, a two-time All-American linebacker in the 1950s. While the Wilmette, Illinois, standout prepares for his senior year at Loyola Academy, he has a good idea that playing linebacker isn't in his college football future.

And he's okay with that.

Shannon is one of two players in the Class of 2016 currently committed to an FBS program as a long snapper. It's a position of importance that's gaining more and more traction in the world of recruiting, and it's one that more coaches are addressing every year.

"If you would have told me three or four years ago that I'd be in this situation right now, I probably would have laughed at you," said Shannon, who will follow Dan and his father, Gerard, a former defensive back. "Long snapping is a skill set where if you're good at it, it can open a lot of doors for you.

"It's definitely come along. About 10 or 15 years ago, it was usually just a tight end or someone like that who could do it. It's pretty good to see it become so popular."

Shannon is the nation's top-ranked long snapper, according to Rubio Long Snapping. Right behind him at No. 2 is Hayward, California, prospect Johnny Den Bleyker, who has committed to UCLA. Per 247Sports' player rankings, Den Bleyker is the top-ranked long snapper, while Shannon is No. 2.

Both are products of Chris Rubio, the guru who has produced stud long snappers for over a dozen years.

"Back in the early 2000s, it was very odd to see a long snapper on scholarship," said Den Bleyker, who plays at Moreau Catholic. "Through Chris Rubio and his training, there's been a major increase. He's really helped me, and it kind of hits me every day that I'm going [to UCLA] on a scholarship as a long snapper. Not a second goes by where I don't think about how I can impact the program."

It's all about the snap

Common coachspeak after a big football game involves winning every facet of a game—offense, defense and special teams.

The offense scores points. The defense prevents points. Special teams can do a combination of both. Rubio said the direction of a game can be determined with the right—or wrong—long snapper.

"Without a great snap, a great kick wouldn't be as fluid. Think about it: When's the last time you saw a guy make a great kick without a great snap?" Rubio said. "You almost never notice a long snapper unless something bad happens, then all hell breaks loose.

"The game is set up now to where if your snap isn't precise, the kick's going to get blocked. I think a lot of people have gotten better at it. But I've always felt you need a great snapper to have an all-American punter."

Rubio said a good snapper, from 15 yards away, will get the ball to the punter in less than 0.75 seconds. Shannon is averaging sub-0.6 seconds, while Den Bleyker is averaging around 0.6 seconds. Both have been trained by Rubio for several years. Den Bleyker's older brother Alex was trained first, and he just completed eligibility at Washington State.

The best snap time Rubio has seen came from Cole Mazza, who is gearing up for his junior year at Alabama. Rubio said Mazza is the first long snapper coach Nick Saban ever offered. 

"Everyone talks about J.K. Scott," Rubio said, referring to Alabama's punter who, as a freshman, produced the best season for a punter in Alabama football history. "Everyone said his kicks were so great; I like to say his snaps must have been perfect."

Rubio's hoping the same can be said about Shannon and Den Bleyker. And then there are guys like North Carolina's Ben Wyatt, California's Jake Cesear and Texas' Geron Eatherly, three guys good enough to find college homes as long snappers.

Let's not forget that long snappers are asked to be reliable special teams players—which means they have to be good tacklers once the ball is punted.

This is when Shannon's linebacker skills at Loyola or Den Bleyker's fullback skills at Moreau come into play. It helps to have a long snapper who is athletic and plays with a chip on his shoulder.

"I just love playing football, so I'll do whatever," Shannon said. "At the next level, I'm just going to be a long snapper, but I'm going to make sure no one outworks me."

'Mean-dude attitude'

Rubio calls the long snapper the "fourth-down quarterback."

"You have to complete a perfect pass every single time," he said. "You're not supposed to have your name called as a long snapper. If you're doing it right, no one will ever know your name."

Shannon and Den Bleyker, Rubio said, are two prospects capable of going beyond college by mastering the position. Rubio described Shannon as someone who is "physically more mature than the average junior." He described Den Bleyker as someone who "has been very coachable since the sixth grade."

"[Shannon] always had the stature where he can snap like a rock," Rubio said. "The ball explodes into the punter's hands. He'll text me five, six times a day because he wants to absorb as much information as he can get.

"[Den Bleyker] is one of those kids where you can tell him to work on the ABCs, and when you see him again, he's really worked on the ABCs—and the next time you see him, he's ready for D, E and F. He's always working hard and working smart. Some kids listen and some kids hear; he does both and is great about it."

Den Bleyker's story is attractive, as he's only 6'0" and 200 pounds, slightly undersized for a college linebacker and too small to play offensive or defensive lineman.

He'll be the first to admit that there's a certain attitude every good long snapper must have. He called it a "mean-dude attitude."

"Having size and athleticism is the key to most positions," he said, "but to me, as a long snapper, you better be hard-nosed. People will try to bully you. They're going to look at you and think you're the weakest link of the chain. To me, you have to be better than just another player on the field."

While attitude plays a major role, technique separates the bad from the good and the good from the great at the position. Rubio said the best snappers normally have three solid characteristics—balance, extension and follow-through.

Everybody's built differently," Rubio said, "but if I can get a guy to have those, he's going to be a stud."

Continuing the legacy

Aaron Brewer shined at San Diego State before earning a spot with the Denver Broncos. Christian Yount was a reliable snapper at UCLA before signing with the Cleveland Browns. Justin Drescher excelled at Colorado before signing with the New Orleans Saints. Mazza is shining at Alabama, and Scott Daly is a standout snapper finishing out his college career at Notre Dame.

The possibilities for success after college are there for players like Shannon and Den Bleyker. Rubio has made excellence a priority for his athletes.

They believe that a future at the position is real—even when others may not.

"Usually, some people will ask what a long snapper is," Den Bleyker said. "Even after explanation, some are still confused. They don't see it as a real position. It's really underlooked."

"I'm used to explaining what it is," Shannon added. "When I explain it, I'll see a tilted head a lot. There are a lot of people not all the way into football who just don't realize long snappers can get scholarships, too."

While the position's popularity has seen its ascension, there are still steps to be made. Rubio's done a solid job publicizing the position with his long snapping camps throughout the year. Together, he and kicking expert Chris Sailer have done their part to put special teams on the map.

Long snapping always has been a passion for Rubio. It's now a priority to college coaches when discussing recruiting.

"I take it very, very seriously, and I know the guys I train do, too," he said. "You have kids who want to go to Oregon or Notre Dame or UCLA or wherever. It may not be as glamorous as some positions, but ask yourself this: Are you winning just as many games or as many championships as the running back or quarterback?"

For Shannon, shining at the position is allowing him to continue a family tradition. He'll be a third-generation Irish football player.

"How many guys can say that?" he said. "For me, it's all about putting my nose to the grind. Long snapping is something not everyone can do well, but those who do it well can have a chance like this."

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings unless noted. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles