Projecting Neal’s role in the Irish offense

With the soap opera behind us, we can finally turn the focus from Davonte Neal choosing Notre Dame, to projecting what he’ll end up doing for the Fighting Irish. Put simply, Neal can be considered the salvation of a recruiting class that filled a lot of holes but was considered by some a disappointment after fading down the stretch. But after missing on countless elite skill players, the Irish landing Neal brought one of the country’s top skill players to South Bend, a rarity in recent times.

With player evaluation an inexact science, let’s cherry-pick ESPN’s rankings to give you an idea of just how high Neal’s ceiling could be. Only three offensive skill players rank higher on ESPN’s 150 — running back Johnathan Gray, wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, and one-time Irish target running back Keith Marshall. Familiar names (and Irish heart-breakers) like Arik Armstead, John Theus, Ronald Darby, Devin Fuller, Yuri Wright, Nelson Agholor, Brian Poole, and Deontay Greenberry? Nobody is within 16 spots of Neal, who checks in at a staggering No. 8 in the country. (The closest Irish recruit is quarterback Gunner Kiel, ranked No. 52 for ESPN.)

ESPN’s scouting report on Neal features this gushing review of the Arizona star:

What Neal may lack in size, he makes up for in acceleration and speed. Neal is a gifted, smooth athlete with the ball in his hands and a dangerous space player. He lacks great height and bulk and we are not sure due to his size he will not end up being a cornerback at the next level. Regardless, he will be a return specialist likely early and often in his collegiate career. Offensively Neal displays rapid acceleration off the line and runs with a low center of gravity. Can weave and get on the toes of the defender in such a hurry that they get flat-footed in their back pedal and it is over if he is going vertical. Neal shows decisive burst into and out of cuts and has huge upside to be a lethal route runner because of his feet and quickness and is already a threat in this area. Can play on the outside or inside and is dangerous on quick hitters and bubble screens behind the line of scrimmage. Shows quick hands and does not appear to fear working the middle of the field or making plays in traffic. Gets upfield immediately after the catch and is at his best in the open field where he can change directions and make people miss… His most dangerous attribute is his ability to make plays as a return man. He naturally has a feel for the crease, awareness of the set-up and where to exploit cover teams. He is sharp and decisive and does not do much dancing. Is a north/south type of runner in the return game and can flip field position in a hurry. Neal is one of those undersized athletes that has some natural tools you cannot coach.

After playing a uncomfortable waiting game, Brian Kelly had this to say about adding Neal, to UND.com’s Jack Nolan:

While we’ll know more about the coaching staff’s intentions come spring practice, adding Neal gives the Irish some flexibility it just didn’t have. For players like rising senior Theo Riddick, it’ll allow Kelly and offensive coordinator Chuck Martin to utilize the very best attributes of Riddick, whether that’s at running back, in the slot, or in a truly hybrid role that has been lacking in Kelly’s first two seasons. For all the talk of multiplicity in the Irish offense, and a coaching change that’ll pair Tony Alford with both running backs and slot receivers, there wasn’t much cross-training in the Irish offense, Charlie Molnar’s first two seasons lacked creativity, likely due to the quarterbacking situation.

Kelly himself hinted at the versatility Neal brings, and plugging him into a running back depth chart that’s uncertain behind Cierre Wood would immediately give the Irish an explosive option from the backfield, and a runner with better natural skills than anybody else on the Irish roster. That said, if you look at the multiple slot options the Irish have — guys like rising senior Robby Toma, Riddick, and unknown options like Mathias Farley, still-to-be-determined transfer option Amir Carlisle, KeiVarae Russell, and even Davaris Daniels, there’s a lot of intrigue in a grouping that’s certainly shy on proven commodities.

One area where Neal will likely walk in and make an impact is in the return game. It’s tough to say George Atkinson is going to lose his job as primary kick returner after having a sensational freshman campaign, but the Irish can hopefully turn the punt return job over to Neal and immediately improve a woeful unit.

Neal won’t arrive on campus until summer, where he’ll join the rest of the freshmen in classes, unofficial workouts and strength and conditioning. At five-foot-10, 175-pounds, Neal has some catching up to do to be physically ready to dominate on the field, but if a look at his highlight tape gives any indication, he’s not too far off.