The Jacksonville Jaguars made a splash after the 2026 NFL draft by signing 18 undrafted free agents, and one name that's generating quiet buzz is safety Devin Neal. Could this seasoned college veteran carve out a roster spot in Duval? Let's break down what he brings to the table.
Neal isn't your typical rookie. With nearly 2,000 career defensive snaps across six college seasons, he's got the mileage and maturity that coaches love. His journey started at Baylor, took him through Louisville, and culminated last season at Virginia, where he was a full-time starter for the Cavaliers.
What makes Neal stand out? Tackling reliability. He missed just six of 100 tackle attempts last year, making him a force against the run. In fact, Pro Football Focus graded him among the highest safeties in the country in run defense. In coverage, he held opponents to a stingy 6.7 yards per catch and broke up six passes. That's the kind of efficiency that turns heads in training camp.
Positional versatility is another ace up his sleeve. Neal has experience both as a deep safety and playing closer to the line of scrimmage in the box. He's also logged 481 special teams snaps over his career—a critical factor for undrafted players trying to stick on an NFL roster.
Measurables? He's a solid 6'0", 215 pounds, and posted a Relative Athletic Score of 8.00 out of 10.00, ranking him in the top 20% of strong safeties since 1987.
Sports Illustrated's Jackson Campbell summed it up well: "Neal is a physical safety who is likely going to find a home in the NFL as an in-the-box safety who can play the run at the line of scrimmage. He's a very good special teams player, and that's paramount for players hoping to stick." Campbell also noted that Neal played his best in big moments—tying his career high with two pass breakups in Virginia's overtime win at Louisville, and recording a career-high 12 tackles in the double-overtime victory over Florida State.
The challenge? Jacksonville's safety room is already crowded with projected starters Eric Murray and Antonio Johnson. But for a player with Neal's experience, reliability, and special teams value, a roster push isn't just possible—it's plausible. Keep an eye on this one in camp.