Ryan Christopher Neal (born December 24, 1995) is an American professional football safety. He played college football at Southern Illinois, and has been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers while in the NFL.
Personal information | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Born: | Hammond, Indiana, U.S. | December 24, 1995||||||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||
Weight: | 200 lb (91 kg) | ||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||
High school: | Merrillville (Merrillville, Indiana) | ||||||||||||
College: | Southern Illinois | ||||||||||||
Position: | Safety | ||||||||||||
Undrafted: | 2018 | ||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
|
College career
editNeal played four seasons at Southern Illinois, compiling 226 career tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, five interceptions and 19 passes defensed.[1] As a senior, Neal led the team with three interceptions and tied for the team lead with 84 tackles and was named honorable mention All-Missouri Valley Football Conference.[2]
Professional career
editHeight | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 ft 1+7⁄8 in (1.88 m) |
187 lb (85 kg) |
31+3⁄4 in (0.81 m) |
8+3⁄4 in (0.22 m) |
4.47 s | 1.58 s | 2.63 s | 4.29 s | 7.18 s | 37.5 in (0.95 m) |
10 ft 7 in (3.23 m) |
15 reps | |
All values from Pro Day[3] |
Philadelphia Eagles
editNeal signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent on April 28, 2018.[1] He was waived by the team during training camp on August 6, 2018.[4]
Atlanta Falcons
editNeal was signed by the Atlanta Falcons on August 11, 2018.[5] However, he failed to make the 53-man roster out of training camp and was subsequently re-signed by the Falcons to the team's practice squad on September 2, 2018.[6] Neal was promoted to the Falcons active roster on November 28, 2018.[7] Neal made his NFL debut on December 9, 2018, in a 34–20 loss to the Green Bay Packers, playing on special teams in the only regular season appearance of his rookie season.[8] Neal was waived by the Falcons as part of the team's final roster cuts on August 31, 2019.[9]
Seattle Seahawks
editNeal was signed to the Seattle Seahawks practice squad on September 2, 2019.[10] The Seahawks promoted Neal to the active roster on December 11, 2019.[11]
Neal re-signed with the Seahawks on April 20, 2020.[12] He was waived on September 5, 2020,[13] and signed to the practice squad the next day.[14] He was elevated to the active roster on September 26 for the team's week 3 game against the Dallas Cowboys.[15] With six seconds remaining in the game, he intercepted Dak Prescott in the end zone, sealing a 38–31 victory for the Seahawks.[16] After automatically reverting to the practice squad following the game, Neal was promoted to the active roster on September 30, 2020.[17] On October 4, 2020, with Adams and Lano Hill still injured, he made his first start for the Seahawks in a game against the Miami Dolphins.[18] Neal made 6 tackles, and also collected his second interception, from Ryan Fitzpatrick.[19]
Neal signed a one-year exclusive-rights free agent tender with the Seahawks on June 8, 2021.[20]
Neal's restricted free agent tender that he was offered in the 2023 off-season was rescinded by the team on March 31, 2023. This move by the Seahawks officially made Neal a free agent.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
editNeal signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on April 4, 2023.[21]
Personal life
editNeal is the younger brother of former Green Bay Packers linebacker Mike Neal.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c Hefferman, Todd (April 28, 2018). "Former Saluki Ryan Gibson signs free agent deal with Philadelphia". TheSouthern.com. The Southern Illinoisian. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
- ^ Dodd, Nathan (April 30, 2018). "Three Salukis sign NFL deals". The Daily Egyptian. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
- ^ "Ryan Neal, Southern Illinois, FS, 2018 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
- ^ "Ryan Neal: Released by Philadelphia". CBSSports.com. August 6, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
- ^ McFadden, Will (August 11, 2018). "Falcons sign defensive back Ryan Neal, waive tackle Kendall Calhoun". AtlantaFalcons.com. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
- ^ Choate, Dave (September 2, 2018). "Falcons announce ten practice squad signings, still have one open spot". TheFalcoholic.com. SB Nation. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
- ^ Ledbetter, D. Orlando (November 28, 2018). "Falcons' Shelby placed on IR; Ryan Neal promoted to roster". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
- ^ Ledbetter, D. Orlando (December 9, 2018). "What Dan Quinn said after loss to Packers". AJC.com. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
- ^ McFadden, Will (August 31, 2019). "Falcons 2019 roster announced". AtlantaFalcons.com. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
- ^ Patton, Andy (September 2, 2019). "A look at the newcomers on Seattle Seahawks practice squad". Seahawks Wire. USA Today. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
- ^ Boyle, John (December 11, 2019). "Seahawks Promote Ryan Neal From Practice Squad, Place Neiko Thorpe On Injured Reserve". Seahawks.com.
- ^ "Seahawks' Ryan Neal: Staying in Seattle". CBSSports.com. April 20, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
- ^ Boyle, John (September 5, 2020). "Seahawks Make Roster Moves To Establish Initial 53-Man Roster". Seahawks.com.
- ^ Boyle, John (September 6, 2020). "Seahawks Sign 14 Players to Practice Squad, Including LB Shaquem Griffin". Seahawks.com.
- ^ Boyle, John (September 26, 2020). "Seahawks Activate LB Shaquem Griffin & CB Ryan Neal From Practice Squad". Seahawks.com. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
- ^ Boyd, James (September 30, 2020). "Former Merrillville star Ryan Neal makes game-clinching interception for Seattle Seahawks". NWITimes.com. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
- ^ Boyle, John (September 30, 2020). "Seahawks Promote Ryan Neal From Practice Squad; Sign Two To Practice Squad". Seahawks.com.
- ^ "Seahawks' Ryan Neal: Slated to start Sunday".
- ^ "Salukis in the NFL: Neal picks off another, Chinn leads Panthers with 8 stops".
- ^ Boyle, John (June 8, 2021). "Seahawks Sign WR Travis Toivonen". Seahawks.com. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
- ^ Smith, Scott (April 6, 2023). "Bucs Add Ascending Safety Ryan Neal to Secondary". Buccaneers.com.