Canal Street Chronicles
New Orleans Saints rookie running back Devin Neal is expected to miss multiple weeks due to a hamstring injury, per Head Coach Kellen Moore.
Neal was the team’s sixth-round selection in the 2025 NFL draft out of the University of Kansas. The Saints were expected to target a running back at one point in the draft, and opted to choose the productive Kansas playmaker.
Neal will disappointingly miss at least the first two weeks of preseason. The running back room in New Orleans is deep with plenty of young and veteran talent, and the rookie’s injury will make his path to securing a spot roster that much harder.
Among those that Neal will have to beat out are Super Bowl-winning running backs Cam Akers and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, along with promising young talents such as Kendre Miller. The 2025 sixth-round pick was listed towards the bottom of the Saints’ first unofficial depth chart, but this is likely a tactic New Orleans is using to keep their rookies’ roles a secret.
Despite dealing with an injury, Neal earned snaps with the first-team offense throughout training camp. From his ability to pick up blocks to his bruising run style, the 5-foot-11 running back could still earn a pivotal role in the Saints’ offense even with missing preseason snaps.
Neal was ultra productive during his four seasons of college football, accumulating three straight 1,000+ yard rushing seasons to finish his collegiate career. The former All-Big 12 second-team running back finished his career with 5,054 total yards and 53 touchdowns.
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