Star RB Devin Neal Trying to Stay a Dual Sport Athlete For the Kansas Jayhawks

It is hard enough playing one sport in college, but Devin Neal is a two sport athlete for the Kansas Jayhawks.

Being a student-athlete requires a lot of time and commitment. Going to class, studying, and doing homework are part of being a student. There is just as much time put into being an athlete with practice, weights, and games. Now imagine doing that for two sports. That's what Devin Neal, a Lawrence, Kansas native, does, as he is a dual-sport athlete at the University of Kansas, playing football and baseball.  

Neal was a three-star recruit in football coming out of Lawrence High School, and he rushed for more than 1,300 yards in his senior year and scored 20 touchdowns. He earned numerous accolades and was regarded as the No. 1 recruit by Rivals in Kansas. What is incredible is Neal's ability to play baseball as well. He was ranked as the No. 2 outfielder and No. 8 overall player in Kansas by Perfect Game. Neal also played for the Royals Scout Team through Perfect Game. Like football, Neal was given numerous accolades for baseball.

Devin Neal (‘21) lets it eat here with an aggressive swing and crushes a triple to LF. Doing a very nice job of making contact out front tonight. Finds another gear once he’s underway. ⁦#KUcommit ⁦@PG_Scouting⁩ pic.twitter.com/Y1LBb1YLTT

— Perfect Game Midwest Baseball (@PGMidwestBB) May 12, 2021

Neal wanted to play dual sports in college, and his hometown school offered him that ability. He demonstrated through high school that he could have success in both sports. As he entered the recruiting process, he gained interest from Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Missouri. All of these would have been good options for football, but once Neal found out he would only be playing football, those choices were eliminated. 

Neal arrived on the Kansas campus in 2021 and immediately made an impact on the football field. He played in 11 games in his freshman season, starting eight games. He rushed 158 times, amassing 707 yards and eight touchdowns. His most noticeable game was against the Texas Longhorns, where he rushed 24 times for 143 yards (an impressive six yards per carry average) and three touchdowns.  

DEVIN. NEAL. FOR. SIX.

Jayhawks are not playing around 🗣

pic.twitter.com/qKnDDhj8Nv

— 247Sports (@247Sports) November 14, 2021

With football entering into the offseason, Neal transitioned to baseball. So far in his freshman year, he has one at-bat against Illinois. He had to balance both sports as football started spring practices and baseball started its season. The Kansas Jayhawks football team hosted their Spring Preview on Saturday, April 9th, and after the game, Neal was asked how he has been able to manage both football and baseball. He said, "It definitely was one of those challenges trying to figure out mentally and physically, but just having both coaches communicate as well as making sure I am doing good mentally and physically, I am just super proud of that aspect."

Neal will continue to develop both mentally and physically in each sport. Both baseball and football require different types of preparation, and Neal is up to the challenge. Each sport will benefit from him participating as a dual athlete. As he becomes more familiar with the process throughout an entire school year, it's fair to expect him to be ready to take the next step on the field.