Devin Neal Rushing Back Near Top Of 2025 NFL Draft RB Conversation

To say the season hasn’t gone the way Kansas wanted would be an understatement. After an offseason full of intrigue and national attention, Kansas came into the season ranked 22nd in the country on the Associated Press preseason poll. With expectations high, Kansas opened the season with a win over Lindenwood before beginning a five-game losing streak; four losses came by one possession. 

The national attention on the offense began to fade, and with it, the hype surrounding senior running back Devin Neal. After rushing for more than 1,200 yards last season with 16 rushing touchdowns, Neal came into this season with tons of momentum, with four of his five games ending with more than 100 yards. 

Neal started 2024 with four straight games over 100 yards, adding three touchdowns but only two receptions for 35 yards. As the storylines surrounding Kansas turned and other running backs were emerging around the country, Neal fell into the background. 

Fast forward to Nov. 23.

On senior night, Kansas faced off against Colorado, the 16th-ranked team in the country, in Arrowhead Stadium. Neal and the Kansas offense were coming off back-to-back upset victories against 22nd-ranked Iowa State and 14th-ranked BYU, and their confidence was brimming. Colorado came into this game with tons of momentum: winners of seven of their last eight games, a four-game winning streak, and the Big-12 Championship Game on their minds. Kansas received the ball first and wanted to make a statement to Colorado early. Neal made that happen.

The message was sent. Neal would be the night's focal point, and Kansas wouldn’t back down from Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes. 

This game meant more to Neal. He handled 41 touches for 287 yards and four touchdowns, outsourcing Colorado’s offense single-handedly. He was on a mission and thrust himself back into the national running back conversation. The 5-foot-11, 215-pound back was unstoppable, leading the Jayhawks to a 37-21 victory. He showcased the tools that had him among the best runners in the 2025 NFL Draft class coming into the season.

Neal is a dual-threat running back who is a scheme-versatile offensive fit for NFL teams and can make any touch a big play. The most impressive play of the evening came when Neal had an immediate threat in the backfield, where he showed the deceleration, re-acceleration, vision, and feeling for space that makes him so dangerous.

The lateral agility, paired with his vision to know exactly where to go following the cut, creates a play out of thin air. The defense should have a negative play, but instead, they watch Neal run down the left sideline for another explosive play, adding to the gashing of Colorado’s defense. 

While he’s listed at 215 pounds—I don’t think that matches his look, and he looks slighter on tape—he can run through tackles and create arm tackles with his quickness and agility. Pass protection may be an issue for him at the next level, but he can be an added weapon in the passing attack. His four catches for 80 yards was his most considerable output in the receiving game this season, and Kansas should have tried to do more with that this season, but Neal stood out on this stage.

On top of being a fantastic running back, Neal is a well-spoken and professional young man that NFL teams will welcome to the locker room. Listening to him post-game, watching him on the field, and seeing how he interacts with his teammates, you could tell how much this game meant to him. On top of that, he went to bat for his teammate quarterback, Jalon Daniels, after the game. In the week leading up to the game, Colorado defensive line coach Warren Sapp commented that Daniels was a “Jittabug”, which the team took as a slight. Neal posted this to social media right after the game.

With his fantastic performance over the weekend, Neal welcomed himself back to the national conversation at the running back position. With such a deep and talented class, finding a spot for him among the best will be challenging, but he’s earned it. His sustained success at Kansas over his career, with more than 4,200 rushing yards and 48 touchdowns, is impressive, and he’s getting better every year. He’s Kansas’ all-time leading rusher and could find himself as a day-two NFL draft pick.

With the college football regular season coming to a close, Neal has one more game to rack up the yards and bring as many eyes to his game as possible. I’m excited to see where he goes in the all-star circuit because his talent will be showcased against some of the best defenders across the country. He seems to play better when the stakes are higher, and the pre-draft process will be high-stakes for running backs. 

While the talk about devaluing running backs has gotten stronger over the years, this draft class will pause that conversation for now. With another running back breaking out every week, where do you rank Neal among the best running backs in the 2025 NFL Draft?