Former University of Kansas football running back Devin Neal has signed his first NFL contract, the New Orleans Saints announced on Friday.
Neal — a 5-foot-11, 215-pound Lawrence native who holds the KU school record for rushing yards (4,343), rushing touchdowns (49) and 100-yard rushing games (20) — at the Saints’ rookie minicamp Friday put pen to paper on a four-year deal worth $4,451,312 with an annual average of $1,112,828.
The contract is not fully guaranteed. Details of the contract were not reported by the team, but by Nola.com as well as by overthecap.com and canalstreetchronicles.com.
It was reported Neal will make $902,710 in year one and $1,067,710 in year two if he survives cuts at training camp this summer.
Neal, a sixth-round draft pick by the Saints (the 184th overall selection), will be trying to secure a spot on the squad as backup to Alvin Kamara, who has completed eight years in the league, all with the Saints.
In an interview with Matt Moscona of 104.5 ESPN in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Neal revealed that he spoke with “the majority of teams in the NFL,” prior to the draft, which ran from April 24-26 in Green Bay.
“I did about 27, 28 Zooms. I talked to every team at the Senior Bowl and the Combine. So it was kind of up in the air what team was going to draft me or what team was most interested,” Neal stated.
He was not disappointed to have to wait until the third and final day of the draft to be chosen.
“It was a dream come true, just to hear my name called on a special day. It was awesome,” Neal told Moscona. “It was still with my family, my friends, and just a great experience overall. And I was just glad to hear my name called and just start the process of being a professional football player.”
Neal indicated there was a chance he could “go as early as day two and and into that fourth round. I didn’t really see myself leaving the fourth, but I think things happen for a reason. It was the same amount of joy, and I had the same amount of feeling of being blessed regardless of a round that I was bound to be drafted in. For me, I think it’s another chip on my shoulder, and ultimately, I’m just ready to go out there and perform, kind of earn my spot on the team.”
Asked his early impressions of 36-year-old, first-year Saints coach Kellen Moore, who won a Super Bowl this past season as offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles, Neal said: “I definitely know what he’s about, just watching the Eagles play last year. I know he loves to run the football and, I’m just super excited to get on the field. I think he’s an offensive mind. I think he’s really creative in his run game and his pass game as well. I’m just really excited to see what he’s able to do with the Saints this next year, and hopefully use me in the best way I can go out there and be (the) final role in some form or fashion.”
Neal said he modeled himself after “two running backs, the first being Joe Mixon (Houston Texans) and then I do like to model my game after Alvin (Kamara). I’m not saying that just because I’m on the Saints now, but I’ve always kind of loved what he’s been able to do and how dynamic he is in the pass game, the screen game and obviously the run game as well.”
Neal said to make the NFL team he thinks he must “be consistent in all areas, obviously establishing pass protection. Being able to really learn the playbook is going to be different. I’m, I’m used to an NFL pro style offense because we did that in college. That would be a little bit natural to me. But, just getting all that down and being able to be efficient, just playing fast and, playing with confidence would be really important.”
