Keanu Neal

smooth athlete for his size and controls his momentum well in space. consistent play speed, showing functional range. attacks alleys and flows well with the action, never playing bored. tough player and fights through pain. productive junior season, averaging 8.7 tackles per start in 2015.

WEAKNESSES

strengths

Looks the part with a developed physique and long arms. Highly physical and aggressive tackler, using his length to hit, lift and drive. Plays with violence and anger, exploding through his hips and striking with authority.

needs to see things a tick faster to be more of a reliable playmaker. eyes stuck in the backfield, allowing spacing from his coverage responsibilities. marginal spatial awareness and tends to play with tunnel vision. durability concerns, missing seven starts the last two seasons.

IN OUR VIEW

one-speed athlete and doesn't play with much burst. physical striker, but doesn't consistently square up his target, break down in motion or wrap to finish. wild angles and takes wasted steps vs. the run and in coverage.

Streaky take-on technique and late to separate from blocks. Makes it too easy for receivers to block him in the open field. Struggles to anticipate, biting on fakes.

while he showed improvements in the deep half of the field in coverage, he is best known as an eraser downhill, playing with violent intentions and looking to lay the wood. neal enjoys contact and is a physical striker, but needs mechanical work as too many of his tackle attempts are off balance due to streaky angles.

He might be able to start down the road in the NFL, but requires time to improve his discipline as he doesn't have the athleticism to make up for wasted steps. Neal will be a special teams demon due to his relentless nature while competing for snaps on defense.

Totaled over 70 tackles and had four interceptions as a senior

All-State selection as a junior

Invited to "The Opening", an all-star summer prospect camp held on the Nike Campus

As a junior, Neal had 151 tackles (68 solo, 83 assists), four interceptions, one of which he returned 20 yards for a touchdown, as well as four forced fumbles, five pass deflections and one offensive touchdown as a goal-line fullback

Picked the Gators over offers from UCF, USF, Duke, Georgia Tech, Kentucky and South Carolina

Coached by Inman Sherman.

2015