Neal, a sixth-round pick out of Kansas, played seven offensive snaps in Week 1, then spent four weeks as a healthy scratch on game day. He saw his workload incrementally increase after No. 2 back Kendre Miller was lost for the season with a knee injury against the Chicago Bears, and now another injury leaves him as the top option.
He chuckled at the phrasing of a question asking about whether he’s been able to “ease in” to his role — there’s no such thing as “easing in” at this level — but he feels prepared to do whatever the Saints ask of him because he never lost sight of how close he was to the spot he’s in now.
“Since the beginning of the season, (running backs coach Joel Thomas) and the rest of the guys just told me to keep staying ready, because you never know in this league, especially at my position,” Neal said. “I really focused on that, not treating each week that I wasn’t active or playing as much as a down week, but another chance to keep getting better and keep growing.”
His attention to detail in team meetings was not overlooked.
“I just really love and appreciate his consistency,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said. “He’s really dialed in. He understands his responsibility each and every play. Love his energy. Love his juice that he provides for us.”
Now he’ll have to show that preparation and energy can translate into production.
Eleven games into his debut season, there’s still not much proof of concept when it comes to Neal as a runner. He finished his college career as Kansas’ all-time leading rusher, but he’s logged only 17 carries as a pro, rushing for 61 yards.
Where Neal has shined is in the other aspects of his game. He prides himself on being an “all-around” running back. Shough, another Saints rookie who has followed a similar trajectory to Neal into the starting lineup, agreed with that assessment.
“What he does from a mental standpoint, preparation wise, he’s super smart,” Shough said. “(In) protection, running the ball really well and catching passes. That’s kind of his strength, being able to do it all.”
He’s made some impressive pickups in pass protection, enough to carve out a role on third downs. As a receiver, he’s caught 12 of 14 targets for 64 yards.
Last week, after Kamara was sidelined, Neal made two of the better plays in an otherwise forgettable effort by the Saints offense, taking a pair of short passes and turning them upfield for 18-yard gains.
“Devin is really savvy,” Shough said. “He’s got some finesse, but he can also lay the boom as he showed in that last game. He’s an all-down back who can do everything that is asked of him, and I’m excited to see what more he can do, because I think he has all those skill sets in him.”
After Kamara went down last week, Neal was the only other true running back on the active roster. That should change this week, as Audric Estimé and Evan Hull also likely will make their debuts for the Saints.
Even if the numbers game left him as the only remaining back last week, Neal still appreciated that the Saints trusted him to get the job done. The opportunity is a little bit bigger this week, and he hopes to continue earning their trust.
“It means everything,” Neal said. “I love this game, I love these opportunities; this is what I’ve dreamed of my entire life. I’m excited for it, and I’m going to take every advantage … to be out there and playing the game that I love.”
