Devin Neal, Kansas football’s all-time leading rusher, had his most productive day in the NFL so far last Sunday. Now, he may get a chance to be the lead back this week for the New Orleans Saints.
Neal started the season as the third running back for the Saints, but an injury to the primary backup, Kendra Miller, bumped him up a spot, and he’s been seeing more action of late.
Last Sunday, the Saints’ star running back, Alvin Kama, suffered an MCL sprain, and Neal took over.
Kansas record-setter Devin Neal is getting an opportunity to prove himself for the Saints
Neal accumulated 4,343 yards rushing and 49 touchdowns on the ground at Kansas. He added 711 receiving yards and four touchdowns through the air.
In the early stages of his pro career, his playing time has been spotty. After gaining nine yards on two carries in week one, he didn’t see any action over the next five weeks. After getting only one touch total in weeks six and seven, Neal saw an uptick in his usage since.
Over the last four games, Neal has 14 carries for 51 yards. He’s grabbed 12 passes out of the backfield for 64 yards, but he has yet to score.
Last week against the Falcons, Kamara went down in the first half, and Neal took over as the lead back. He had his most productive day of the year, gaining 18 yards on seven carries. He didn’t see much daylight in the running game against the Falcons’ defense, but he had a bigger impact on the passing game.
He hauled in five passes for 43 yards, including two 18-yard receptions. He shared time in the backfield with the Saints' utility tool, Taysom Hill, but Neal saw a majority of the snaps.
Though Kamara hasn’t been ruled out this week against the Dolphins, it seems unlikely he will return so soon with his MCL sprain. The Saints have a week to develop a game plan with Neal as the lead back. He just needs an opportunity to prove what he is capable of. This is his chance.
KU fans know what a gamer Neal is, so no one will be surprised if he has a big day on Sunday.
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