A one-year starter at Arkansas (and one-and-a-half-year starter overall), Neal was a perimeter cornerback in former defensive coordinator Travis Williams’ man/zone scheme. A former hooper and wide receiver, he showed gradual improvements at corner over his time at Fresno State and was graded by NFL teams over the summer as a “low-money” undrafted free agent. However, he transferred to Arkansas in 2025 and changed the narrative with an impressive senior campaign.
Neal matches up well physically and plays to his size in different ways. He crowds receivers at the line, pins opponents against the sideline and contests catch points (when he finds the football) — you can see his receiver background in his ball skills and catch-point timing. He also shows his physicality when getting off blocks and working downhill as a tackler. He lacks suddenness in his mirroring footwork, however, and his technique tends to fall apart versus twitchy receivers.