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It's NFL draft month. So between now and when the first round begins, we will be highlighting prospects who could be of interest to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Next up is Kansas running back Devin Neal.
Height: 5-11
Weight: 213
Relative Athletic Score (RAS): 8.43
Neal has carried the ball 759 times during his four seasons at Kansas. Over the last three seasons, he has eclipsed 1,000 yards each year, and this includes hitting the 1,200-yard mark in 2023 and 2024.
For his career, Neal has averaged an impressive 5.7 yards per rush. This includes averaging over 6.1 yards per rush in 2022 and 2023, and then 5.8 yards this most recent season. He's also found the end zone on the ground a total of 49 times.
Among eligible running backs in 2024, Neal was tied for eighth in yards per rush, 16th in average yards after contact, 23rd in missed tackles forced, and 18th in rushes of at least 10 yards, according to PFF.
Along with his contributions on the ground, Neal also has 101 career targets and has averaged 9.2 yards per catch with four touchdowns.
With only three running backs on the roster, depth for the 2025 season is needed, and the good news is that this year's draft class at this position is loaded. Looking beyond 2025, because the draft is also about planning ahead, Travis Etienne is a free agent in 2026, and Tank Bigsby will be in the final year of his deal at that time.
The running game is going to play a key role in helping to get the Jaguars' passing game back on track by keeping the offense ahead of the sticks and out of predictable passing situations. In addition to that, within Liam Coen's offense, the running game and passing game concepts often go hand-in-hand and build off of each other to keep defenses guessing.
"Obviously there's going to be a lot of changes in verbiage and terminology and all those things and the system is different," Trevor Lawrence said earlier this offseason on where Coen's offense differs from the previous system.
"But I think the run game and how it's built off of that and I think just his knowledge on how to set up the run game with play-action, screens, and then obviously mixing in dropbacks and shots downfield. I think the plan there I'm really excited about how he's going to set it up and how we're going to game plan it."
We also saw last season in Tampa Bay, where Coen was the play-caller, that the Bucs' running backs were heavily involved in the passing game as well.
For more on Neal's game, here is what Lance Zierlein wrote in his scouting report:
"Workload runner with NFL size and four years of steady production to help elevate the program. Neal runs with a nice blend of patience and decisiveness to choose the right lanes and maximize each carry. He lacks top-end burst and speed, which will shrink the field for him, but he’s a fall-forward runner with good contact balance and a nose for short-yardage conversions. He has good instincts and soft hands in space and can help as a leak-out or swing-pass option. His blue-collar approach isn’t exciting but it is effective and Neal has the ability to develop into a backup three-down back."
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Jaguars 2025 NFL draft: Previewing Kansas RB Devin Neal
Continue reading...
Next up is Kansas running back Devin Neal.
Measureables
Height: 5-11
Weight: 213
Relative Athletic Score (RAS): 8.43
Stats to know
Neal has carried the ball 759 times during his four seasons at Kansas. Over the last three seasons, he has eclipsed 1,000 yards each year, and this includes hitting the 1,200-yard mark in 2023 and 2024.
For his career, Neal has averaged an impressive 5.7 yards per rush. This includes averaging over 6.1 yards per rush in 2022 and 2023, and then 5.8 yards this most recent season. He's also found the end zone on the ground a total of 49 times.
Among eligible running backs in 2024, Neal was tied for eighth in yards per rush, 16th in average yards after contact, 23rd in missed tackles forced, and 18th in rushes of at least 10 yards, according to PFF.
Along with his contributions on the ground, Neal also has 101 career targets and has averaged 9.2 yards per catch with four touchdowns.
Fit with the Jacksonville Jaguars
With only three running backs on the roster, depth for the 2025 season is needed, and the good news is that this year's draft class at this position is loaded. Looking beyond 2025, because the draft is also about planning ahead, Travis Etienne is a free agent in 2026, and Tank Bigsby will be in the final year of his deal at that time.
The running game is going to play a key role in helping to get the Jaguars' passing game back on track by keeping the offense ahead of the sticks and out of predictable passing situations. In addition to that, within Liam Coen's offense, the running game and passing game concepts often go hand-in-hand and build off of each other to keep defenses guessing.
"Obviously there's going to be a lot of changes in verbiage and terminology and all those things and the system is different," Trevor Lawrence said earlier this offseason on where Coen's offense differs from the previous system.
"But I think the run game and how it's built off of that and I think just his knowledge on how to set up the run game with play-action, screens, and then obviously mixing in dropbacks and shots downfield. I think the plan there I'm really excited about how he's going to set it up and how we're going to game plan it."
We also saw last season in Tampa Bay, where Coen was the play-caller, that the Bucs' running backs were heavily involved in the passing game as well.
NFL draft profile
For more on Neal's game, here is what Lance Zierlein wrote in his scouting report:
"Workload runner with NFL size and four years of steady production to help elevate the program. Neal runs with a nice blend of patience and decisiveness to choose the right lanes and maximize each carry. He lacks top-end burst and speed, which will shrink the field for him, but he’s a fall-forward runner with good contact balance and a nose for short-yardage conversions. He has good instincts and soft hands in space and can help as a leak-out or swing-pass option. His blue-collar approach isn’t exciting but it is effective and Neal has the ability to develop into a backup three-down back."
Highlights
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Jaguars 2025 NFL draft: Previewing Kansas RB Devin Neal
Continue reading...
