Devin Neal RB Kansas | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Devin Neal RB Kansas
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Work-Horse Back | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 02/26/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.58 seconds (43%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 21.7 DOB: 08/12/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Work-Horse Back | |
| Last Updated: 02/26/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.58 seconds (43%*) | |
| Age: 21.7 DOB: 08/12/2003 | |
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 84.3 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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74% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Rushing: |
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95% |
| Break Tackles: |
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84% |
| Receiving/Hands: |
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70% |
| Pass Blocking: |
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49% |
| Run Blocking: |
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68% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
3rd
Overall Rank:
#81
Position rank:
#7
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| College Games: 48 College Snaps: 2006 | ||
ESPN RATING: 76/100
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247 RATING: 91/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.7 (93%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah Davis - South Dakota State |
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82% |
| Audric Estime - Notre Dame |
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80% |
| Tyjae Spears - Tulane |
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77% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Devin Neal's journey isn't just a college football story – it's a hometown saga that unfolded in Lawrence, Kansas, where he transformed from local high school phenom into the most prolific rusher in Jayhawks history. The powerful back arrived on campus as Kansas football hit rock bottom, joining forces with new head coach Lance Leipold in 2021 during a brutal 2-10 campaign. Neal immediately shouldered a significant load, flashing enough potential as a freshman to earn the distinction as the first Kansas rookie to win Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors.What followed was a steady ascension mirroring the program's remarkable turnaround. Neal's sophomore season coincided with Kansas reaching its first bowl game since 2008, as he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark while averaging an impressive 6.1 yards per carry. His breakout performance against Oklahoma State – a jaw-dropping 224 rushing yards paired with 110 receiving yards – announced his arrival as a legitimate NFL prospect. The versatile back refined his game further as a junior, collecting second-team All-Big 12 recognition while helping Kansas finish the season ranked for the first time since 2007.
Rather than declaring for the draft, Neal returned for his senior campaign to cement his legacy. He delivered yet again with 1,266 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, becoming the first Jayhawk ever to register three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Along the way, he shattered school records for career rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and 100-yard games. His remarkable consistency elevated a once-dormant program while establishing himself as one of the most dependable backs in the 2025 draft class.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Quick first step with legitimate breakaway speed – turns routine plays into chunk gains when he finds daylight, as evidenced by 115 career runs of 10+ yards.
- Natural feel in zone schemes where his vision and one-cut ability shine – patient enough to let blocks develop before hitting the gas when creases appear.
- Changes direction with exceptional fluidity – his lateral agility allowed him to make defenders whiff regularly against quality Big 12 competition.
- Ball security borders on elite with just four fumbles on 760 career carries – carries the rock high and tight even when navigating traffic.
- Shows impressive versatility between schemes with productive reps in both gap (407 carries) and zone (343 carries) concepts throughout his Kansas career.
- Improved steadily as a receiver each season – yards-per-catch jumped from 8.7 to 10.6 his final year, suggesting untapped potential in the passing game.
- Demonstrates calculated tempo behind the line – no longer just a one-speed runner who hits holes recklessly like early in his career.
- Remarkably durable despite heavy workload – started 40 consecutive games over his final three seasons without missing time due to injury.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Upright running style creates unnecessary contact points – his higher pad level prevents him from consistently driving through tackles at the second level.
- Pass protection technique remains a glaring weakness – struggles with anchor strength and identifying blitz pickups, limiting third-down value.
- Lacks the natural hands of a true receiving threat – body catches too many targets and hasn't shown consistent ability to adjust to off-target throws.
- Contact balance doesn't match his elusiveness – goes down on first contact more frequently than his frame would suggest, limiting yards after contact.
- Decision-making between the tackles can be erratic – occasionally hesitates at the line and misses open cutback lanes that more instinctive runners would exploit.
Scouting Report: Summary
Neal's explosive athleticism immediately jumps off the screen – when he plants his foot and accelerates through the hole, he has that coveted second gear that separates potential backups from future starters. His development trajectory points upward with measurable improvement each season at Kansas, particularly in his processing speed and overall vision.While Neal projects initially as a change-of-pace option who can provide instant splash plays, there's framework here for a more substantial role if he can shore up his pass protection and become more consistent between the tackles. His ideal landing spot features a zone-heavy scheme where his one-cut ability and burst can be maximized. Teams like Green Bay, or Cleveland would allow Neal to flourish in systems that emphasize vision, decisive cutting, and exploiting cutback lanes.
Teams may question whether Neal has the frame to withstand punishment as a feature back, but his durability at Kansas suggests those concerns might be overblown. With minimal wear compared to other collegiate workhorses and a well-rounded skill set that continues evolving, Neal represents excellent value in the late third to early fourth round.
Written By:
Eli Cooper (Big 12)
Devin Neal percentiles vs other Running Backs (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Devin Neal (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
92.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
9.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.