Devin Neal is among the 2025 NFL Draft’s top running backs in terms of experience and output. The Kansas running back, who enters the draft after two straight seasons with at least 1,200 yards, also delighted observers at the NFL Scouting Combine early last month with a 10-foot-4 broad leap and a 37.5-inch vertical jump.
It’s time for Neal to move on and prove himself at the next level after solidifying his place in Kansas’ history books as the leader in running yards, rushing touchdowns and scrimmage touchdowns.
Current draft projections suggest that the former Jayhawk will likely be chosen in the late third to early fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
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With only four fumbles in 760 career rushes in college, Neal is secure with the ball, has genuine breakaway quickness and burst, thrives in zone systems with remarkable smoothness and lateral flexibility, and is durable, playing 40 straight games without injury in college. Draft experts rank him among the top 10 running back prospects in this draft because of all these qualities.
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However, his lack of base strength, his difficulty spotting blitz pickups, his lack of natural hands in pass protection and his high likelihood of going down on first contact more often than expected are some of his game weaknesses that could cause him to fall to the fourth round of the draft.
Although teams may have doubts about Neal’s physique, his durability raises the possibility that these worries are unfounded. Compared to other productive machines at his position in the draft, Neal had fewer injury issues in college, making him a potential great value in the late third to early fourth round.
Devin Neal’s NFL scouting report and best fits in the NFL
Devin Neal showed his talent as an efficient rusher in college by gaining 1,000 yards or more on the ground in three straight seasons. He also recorded 1,266 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns last season, the kind of output that NFL teams will look for in a running back.
In addition to his contributions as a rusher, Neal averaged 9.2 yards per reception with four touchdowns while being targeted 101 times in the passing game in college.
Neal is a constant threat to opposing teams in the open field. He is capable of breaking tackles in different ways, making it challenging for linebackers or even defensive backs to bring him down.
The primary concern regarding Neal’s game is his explosive speed, evidenced by his 4.58-second 40-yard sprint at the NFL Scouting Combine, which, although not poor, failed to significantly impress observers.
Devin Neal has numerous prospective destinations, including the Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants.
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Edited by Ribin Peter
