Saints’ Devin Neal healthy, excited for regular season debut

By Ross Jackson

With the regular season home opener on the way for the New Orleans Saints, several rookies and new faces are expected to see their NFL debuts. One such rookie, running back Devin Neal, spoke with LouisianaSports.Net Friday following the team’s final practice of the week. 

Neal missed some time early in the preseason with a hamstring injury but was able to return for the final exhibition game. He impressed in the bit of exposure he was able to get and has been one of the more highly-anticipated rookies in the class.

Despite dealing with injury early in his tenure, Neal said that he is feeling healthy and ready to get started.

“I’m feeling good, feeling healthy,” Neal said. “I’m just excited. It’s been a fantastic, prep week. So I’m just excited to really just get going to see what the Dome is about, and see what this home atmosphere is about. I think we have a lot in store for us.”

Neal is looking to take his diverse skill set and versatile playstyle from college and transfer it to the NFL game. While he knows that the two levels of competition are different, his ability to contribute can still be one that comes from multiple areas of the offense in New Orleans.

“I definitely think that just kind of the ways that I’ve been kind of mixed in throughout practice, especially in camp, too,” he said when asked if he expects a multitude of usages in New Orleans.  “Being able to get out of space, run routes, do different run schemes, and then obviously pass (protection). Just being that versatile back, I think that’s one of the reasons why the Saints were intrigued by me. Because I can fill in those gaps and do different things.”

Neal highlighted pass protection a couple of times during our conversation as a way that he plans to contribute. So, we asked him why it was important to him, and his answer did not disappoint.

“I think it’s more of a duty in a way,” he said. “I know that the person across from me is not going to touch our quarterback. So I take pride in that.”

don’t see RBs engage in a blitz pick up for this long very often. devin neal one of the better pass pro backs i’ve watched so far. pic.twitter.com/LwGccXvcuL

— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) March 17, 2025

Neal is excited to see his NFL debut finally here and knows that there’s a big challenge on the way in the process. The Arizona Cardinals do a lot of attack in many different ways to get after the quarterback. His role as a ball-carrier could help alleviate some of the pressure on young quarterback Spencer Rattler, but it will take the entire running back room banding together to make the biggest impact possible.

“It’s just about being versatile, and protecting the quarterback,” he said of the running back room’s role. “All the things that’s needed as a running back, and the number one thing is obviously protecting football as well. Ball security. So we’re making sure we’re honed in with our own house. I think it’s going to be fantastic when it’s all said and done, and this is going to propel the entire offense forward.”