Devin Neal's rookie year was brief but impressive. Even in a limited sample size, the New Orleans Saints running back showed enough for Nic Bodiford of Pro Football Focus to list the Neal as one of the seven rookies who he thought had an intriguing first NFL season.
The sixth-round pick from Kansas finished the season with a higher PFF grade than star Alvin Kamara (who only played in 11 this past season), but that's not why Bodiford found Neal's first NFL season to be intriguing. It's that he was trusted on passing downs and used on 62.7% of snaps on third and fourth down even when Kamara was healthy. When the star RB went down, those numbers jumped to 76.9%.
Unfortunately for Devin Neal, his rookie season ended prematurely after injuring his hamstring during the week 15 game against the Carolina Panthers. He only managed to play 10 games in 2025, where he had 57 carries for 206 yards and two touchdowns, along with 17 receptions for 104 yards.
Devin Neal's "interesting" rookie season could change the Saints draft outlook for 2026
Players like running back Jeremiyah Love out of Notre Dame might find that the Saints aren't as interested as other teams in the NFL. If that is the case, then Devin Neal might've changed the draft plan in New Orleans because of how interesting his first season was.
That means that other positions of need can be targeted with the eighth pick. Mickey Loomis could decide to upgrade the defensive front with edge defender Rueben Bain Jr. out of Miami (FL), or he could give Tyler Shough another wide receiver weapon in USC's Makai Lemon. He could even add another young safety in Ohio State's Caleb Downs, though that's less likely due to the Julian Blackmon re-signing.
Any way you put it, Neal likely saved himself a roster spot for next season. However, how much he'll be playing is still a question mark because there is another young running back on the Saints roster: Kendre Miller. So, even if the Saints don't draft a running back, Neal will still have to battle for the RB2 spot in the offseason, no matter how interesting his rookie season might've been.