Devin Neal joined the Kansas Jayhawks and immediately helped to turn their program around. He arrived right amid a terrible season, and since then he’s dramatically helped them out. Neal has remained loyal to the school throughout his time in college and now is ready to part ways with them. Except he isn’t looking to head to a new program, he’s aiming for the next level entirely, the NFL.
Height: 5 ft – 11 in
Weight: 213 lb
Age: 21
Position: Running Back
College: Kansas
College Career Summary:
In 2021, Neal didn’t take long to get acclimated to his new situation at Kansas. He appeared in 11 games and rushed for over 700 yards and eight touchdowns. This was just the beginning though, because he was given the full green light in 2022 and beyond. He upped his touch count by over 20 during his sophomore campaign, rushing for over 1,000 yards this time around and scoring one more touchdown than the previous season. Fast forward to 2023, and his workload jumped to over 200 rushes, which he subsequently made the most use of by rushing for 1,280 yards and 16 touchdowns, both of which were career-highs. Then, most recently, in 2024, he started all 12 games and made the most rush attempts in a single season that he’s had since the beginning of his collegiate career. He rushed for 1,266 yards but matched his touchdown total to 16 from his junior season. He was a Second-Team All-Big 12 member in 2023 and 2024, and his consistency helped cement a legacy over at Kansas.
2024 Season
Games Played: 12
Yards: 1,266 rushing, 254 receiving
Touchdowns: 16 rushing, one receiving
Career Stats:
- 49 games played
- 4,343 rushing yards
- 53 total touchdowns
- 760 rush attempts
- 77 receptions
Passing/Rushing/Receiving/Defensive Metrics:
- 7 yards per carry throughout his career
- 2 yards per reception throughout his career
- 711 career receiving yards
Strengths:
- Legit breakaway speed, big-play maker
- Ball security is considered elite
- Impressive versatility in multiple running schemes
- Extremely durable despite heavy workload
- Changes direction with ease thanks to strong lateral agility
- Developing patience behind the line of scrimmage
Weaknesses:
- Lacking pass-catching skills
- Pad level is routinely a little too high
- Erratic at times when it comes to his decision-making
- Contact balance could use some work
High Pressure Situations/Clutch Gene:
Neal took four separate ranked matchups this season as a member of the Jayhawks, and he handled all of them well. Against Colorado, he took 37 carries for 207 yards and three touchdowns, adding four receptions for 80 additional yards and another score. The week before, he went up against the sixth-ranked BYU squad and turned 14 carries into 52 yards for two more touchdowns. Neal also competed against Iowa State, another ranked team, and turned 18 carries into 116 yards and two touchdowns. Finally, he played Kansas State and rushed 13 times for 66 yards and a touchdown, with Kansas losing this game, the only one out of the four. Simply put, Neal has exceeded expectations in multiple ranked matchups this season with Kansas, winning three of those games as well. The year before, in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against UNLV, he took 20 carries for 71 yards and a touchdown in a 49-36 victory for Kansas. In the majority of the ranked contests that we’ve seen Neal compete in, he’s performed up to expectations, not shying away from the moment and running extremely hard in the process. It’s a positive trait that many NFL teams will take note of when looking over his scouting report.
NFL Projection And Fantasy Relevance:
Devin Neal is currently projected to be drafted in the fourth round. Many mock drafts have taken him at some point in the fourth, ranking him as low as the 102nd overall player and ranking him as high as the 88th. Given the depth of this year’s running back class, it isn’t surprising to hear that a talented running back like Neal could slip down to the fourth round despite his success at Kansas. However, this doesn’t mean that he won’t be a good player at the next level. He has a ton of strengths that should make him an intriguing fantasy football target. I wouldn’t anticipate him getting an immediate starting job as a rookie, though he could certainly see touches as part of a committee in a backup type of role. Dynasty formats are where he has the potential to break through over time. If you are looking for running back depth, you might be able to snag Neal later on in the rookie draft, someone who might be a difference-maker in year two or three of his career.
There is no question that Neal displays excellent athleticism and acceleration that jumps off the screen when watching film. He has certain traits that make him desirable as a future starter in the NFL. That is if he can drop into the correct developmental system to unlock that true potential that he has. The problem is that he struggles in a couple of areas that will keep him off the field rather than on it. First off, his pass protection will require some more work. Secondly, he will need to become more consistent in between the tackles, hopefully landing in a type of offensive zone scheme to maximize his strengths and limit his weaknesses. He isn’t the biggest running back either in terms of his size, putting into question his durability. Luckily, he was able to handle a ton of work at Kansas throughout four seasons and handled the heavy workload just fine. If I were to guess, he could land in a spot like the Cleveland Browns and eventually become a long-term starter. There isn’t a question about his loyalty, considering that he wanted to cement his legacy at Kansas as opposed to heading in a different direction. Whatever team drafts him, should be prepared to have a future with him.