LSU Gold
Position
Defensive End
Height
6'2
Weight
272
Class
Senior
Hometown
Wilson, N.C.
High School
James B. Hunt HS

2016 SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week (vs. Alabama)
2015 SEC Defensive Player of the Week (vs. Florida)

CAREER
Two-year starter on defensive line for the Tigers … Started 24 straight games to end his career … Played in 47 games, starting 24 times … Collected 118 tackles, 17.0 tackles for loss and 12.0 sacks during his career … Added 12 QB hurries, seven pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble … Extremely hard worker both on and off the field … Graduated in December of 2016 with a degree in sports administration … Raised by his grandmother … Used self-taught business skills to purchase a barber shop just off the LSU campus while he was pursuing his degree … Is also the President/Owner of a financial investment firm on the Foreign Exchange.

SENIOR SEASON (2016)
Started all 12 games at defensive for the Tigers in Dave Aranda’s 3-4 scheme … Had best season in terms of tackles with 60 … Added 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks … Had 1.5 sacks in win over Mississippi State and one each against Jacksonville State and Southern Miss … Had career-high 11 tackles against Alabama and was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week for his performance against the Crimson Tide … LSU held Alabama scoreless for three quarters in 10-0 defeat to Alabama … Closed out career with five tackles in LSU’s 29-9 win over Louisville in the Citrus Bowl … LSU sacked Louisville Heisman Trophy quarterback Lamar Jackson eight times and held the Cardinals, who were averaging 45 points per game, without a touchdown for the only time all season … Key component of LSU defense that led the FBS by allowing only 16 touchdowns (1.33 per game) all year … LSU defense ranked No. 2 in the SEC in scoring (15.8 points per game) and rushing defense (117.2 yards per game) and No. 3 in total defense (314.4 yards per game) and pass defense (197.2 yards per game).

JUNIOR SEASON (2015)
Team leader with 8.0 sacks this season which ties for 10th in LSU single-season history … Ranks sixth in the SEC in sacks … Started all 12 games at defensive end … Earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week after he recorded a career-high 3.0 sacks against Florida, tied with many Tigers for the second-most sacks in a single game in LSU history … Set a career high with 10 tackles vs. Florida with 3.5 TFLs, 3.0 sacks, three QB hurries and one PBU … Tallied a sack and one pass breakup against Texas A&M … Posted two PBUs and half a TFL vs. Western Kentucky … Picked up a solo sack vs. South Carolina … Recorded two solo sacks against Eastern Michigan … Led the team with seven tackles and forced a fumble at Syracuse … In his first career start, earned a career-high five tackles at Mississippi State, including a 5-yard unassisted sack in the fourth quarter, and also provided two QB hurries.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (2014)
Moved from defensive end to tackle early in the season … Played in all 13 games with no starts … Listed behind Christian LaCouture on the depth chart … Recorded his first career tackle for loss against Sam Houston State.

FRESHMAN SEASON (2013)
Played in 10 games with no starts … Registered seven tackles … Made an immediate impact in his first game as a Tiger when he established a season high with four tackles and half a sack at defensive end against UAB … Collected three tackles against Kent State.

HIGH SCHOOL
Recorded 68 tackles, eight sacks and one safety in his senior campaign … Rated a four-star recruit by ESPN.com and a three star by Rivals.com, 247sports.com and Scout.com … Ranked as the No. 27 defensive end in the nation by Rivals, No. 29 by 247sports, No. 33 by Scout and No. 39 by ESPN … Named MVP among defensive lineman at the 2012 Top Gun Camp in Williamsburg, Virginia … Participated in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl where he walked away with Defensive MVP honors … Coached by Randy Raper.

PERSONAL
Mother is Cynthia Neal … Born May 17, 1995 … Graduated in December of 2016 with a degree in sports administration.

CAREER HIGHS
Total tackles: 11 vs. Alabama
Tackles for loss: 3.5 vs. Florida, 2015
Sacks: 2.0 vs. Eastern Michigan, 2015

NEAL’S CAREER DEFENSIVE STATS

Year
G-GS
UT
AT
TT
TFL
Sacks
PBU
QBH
INT
FF
FR
2013
10-0
0
7
7
0.5-2
0.5-2
0
1
0-0
0
0-0
2014 13-0
1
2 3
1.5-4
0-0
0 0 0-0 0
0-0
2015 12-12 23 25 48 9.5-52 8.0-50 6 8 0-0 1 0-0
2016 12-12 11 49 60 5.5-19 3.5-16 1 3 0-0 0 2-0
Totals
47-24
35
83
118
17.0-77
12.0-68
7
12
0-0
1
2-0
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