Rajion Neal
{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1992)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Rajion Neal
| image = Rajion Neal.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Neal with the Green Bay Packers in 2015
| current_team =
| number = 34, 43
| position = Running back
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|3|28}}
| birth_place = Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 11
| weight_lbs = 210
| high_school = Sandy Creek (Tyrone, Georgia)
| college = Tennessee
| undraftedyear = 2014
| pastteams =
- Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|2014}})*
- Miami Dolphins ({{NFL Year|2015}})*
- Oakland Raiders ({{NFL Year|2015}})*
- Pittsburgh Steelers ({{NFL Year|2015}})*
- Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|2016}})
- Hamilton Tiger-Cats ({{CFL Year|2017}})*
- Memphis Express ({{AAF Year|2019}})
- Hamilton Tiger-Cats ({{CFL Year|2019}})*
| status =
}}
Rajion Lashad Neal (born March 28, 1992) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Tennessee. Neal was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2014, and has also been a member of the Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). Neal has also been a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL), as well as the Memphis Express of the Alliance of American Football (AAF).
Early life
Neal attended Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone, Georgia.{{Cite web |title=Rajion Neal, Sandy Creek , Running Back |url=https://247sports.com/player/rajion-neal-1414/high-school-8782/ |access-date=March 6, 2024 |website=247Sports |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Oliver |first=Brandon |date=March 3, 2010 |title=Rajion Neal: a look at Tennessee signees |url=https://www.volnation.com/2010/03/03/rajion-neal-a-look-at-tennessee-signees/ |access-date=March 6, 2024 |website=VolNation |language=en-US}} He helped lead the Sandy Creek football team to Class AAAA state championship in 2009, after he ran for 166 yards and one touchdown over Clarke Central. As a senior, he rushed for 1,816 yards on 291 carries (6.24 avg) and 33 touchdowns, earning the Georgia Sportswriters Class AAAA State Offensive Player of the Year.{{Cite web |last=Holcomb |first=Todd |date=December 29, 2009 |title=Georgia High School Football Daily Spotlight: All-State Teams: Class AAAA |url=http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-high-school-sports/2009/12/29/georgia-high-school-football-daily-spotlight-all-state-teams-class-aaaa/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330064819/http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-high-school-sports/2009/12/29/georgia-high-school-football-daily-spotlight-all-state-teams-class-aaaa/ |archive-date=March 30, 2014 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}
Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, he was rated the ninth best running back prospect in the nation.{{Cite web |title=Rajion Neal, 2010 Running Back, Tennessee |url=https://rivals.com/content/athletes/rajion-neal-17662?view=pv |access-date=March 6, 2024 |website=Rivals.com |language=en-US}} He accepted a scholarship from Tennessee over offers from Mississippi State and Penn State.{{Cite web |last=Hollingsworth |first=Joel |date=January 28, 2010 |title=Rucker: 4-star Georgia TB Rajion Neal commits to Tennessee |url=https://www.rockytoptalk.com/2010/1/28/1274873/rucker-4-star-georgia-tb-rajion |access-date=March 6, 2024 |website=Rocky Top Talk|publisher=SB Nation |language=en}}
College career
In 2010, Neal played in 10 games as a freshman for Tennessee and rushed 46 times for 197 yards (4.3 avg) and caught seven passes for 100 yards. In 2011, he played wide receiver and running back for the Volunteers, and recorded 13 catches for 269 yards and carried 27 times for 134 yards (5.0) with three touchdowns. As a junior, he appeared in 10 games for the season, missing two due to an ankle injury. He was the leading rusher on team with 708 yards on 156 carries (4.5 avg) and finished with nine total touchdowns on the season (five rushing, four receiving). He also caught 19 passes for 149 yards. As a senior in 2013, Neal rushed for a career-high 1,124 yards on 215 carries (5.2 avg) and scored a career-high 15 rushing touchdowns, and hauled in 27 passes for 108 yards.{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Patrick |date=December 1, 2013 |title=Vols' Rajion Neal bursts past 1,000-yard mark |url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/dec/01/vols-neal-bursts-past-1000-yard-mark/ |access-date=March 6, 2024 |website=Chattanooga Times Free Press |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Rajion Neal College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/rajion-neal-1.html |access-date=March 6, 2024 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}
Professional career
=Green Bay Packers=
After going undrafted in the 2014 NFL draft, Neal signed with the Green Bay Packers on May 12, 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-1/packers-announce-roster-moves/eccf9325-6efb-44e3-af47-2986838acf65|title=Packers announce roster moves|work=Packers.com|date=May 12, 2014|accessdate=August 21, 2016}} On August 26, 2014, he was placed on injured reserve by the Packers.{{cite web|url=http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-roster-moves/article-1/Packers-place-six-players-on-IR-reduce-roster-to-75/e25bc51f-64fc-4f02-9ca6-f7862474ee3a?campaign=social_20140826_30518476|title=Packers place six players on IR, reduce roster to 75|work=Packers.com|date=August 26, 2014|accessdate=November 18, 2015}} On November 3, 2014, he was signed to the Packers' practice squad.{{cite web|url=http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-roster-moves/article-1/Packers-activate-JC-Tretter-release-Derek-Sherrod/0a46d74d-e331-4809-a556-0f0e13814d76|title=Packers activate JC Tretter, release Derek Sherrod|work=Packers.com|date=November 3, 2014|accessdate=November 18, 2015|archive-date=October 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161028021935/http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-roster-moves/article-1/packers-activate-jc-tretter-release-derek-sherrod/0a46d74d-e331-4809-a556-0f0e13814d76|url-status=dead}} On August 30, 2015, he was released by the Packers with an injury settlement. On September 5, 2015, Neal was cut by the Packers.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/green-bay-packers/post/_/id/22895/packers-to-keep-three-tight-ends-cut-rb-rajion-neal|title=Packers to keep three tight ends, cut RB Rajion Neal|work=ESPN.com|date=September 5, 2015|access-date=November 18, 2015|first=Rob|last= Demovsky}}
=Miami Dolphins=
On September 7, 2015, Neal was signed to the Miami Dolphins' practice squad.{{cite web |url=http://www.miamidolphins.com/news/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Thomas-Happy-To-Be-With-Dolphins-Other-Notes/40faf788-5993-48c3-9e27-b261b98de295 |title=NOTEBOOK: Thomas Happy To Be With Dolphins; Other Notes |last=Poupart |first=Alain |date=September 7, 2015 |website=Dolphins.com |accessdate=October 9, 2015}} On September 9, 2015, he was released by the Dolphins.{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Perkins |title=Dolphins' Branden Albert to start Sunday against Redskins |url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-dolphins/sfl-branden-albert-im-starting-sunday-against-washington-20150909-story.html |work=Sun Sentinel |date=September 9, 2015 |accessdate=October 9, 2015}}
=Oakland Raiders=
On September 22, 2015, the Oakland Raiders signed Neal to their practice squad.{{cite web |url=http://www.raiders.com/news/article-1/Oakland-Raiders-Claim-CB-David-Amerson-via-Waivers-from-Washington-Redskins/9309633c-a07d-4589-a873-6475de7e4f4a |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307100247/http://www.raiders.com/news/article-1/Oakland-Raiders-Claim-CB-David-Amerson-via-Waivers-from-Washington-Redskins/9309633c-a07d-4589-a873-6475de7e4f4a |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 7, 2016 |title=Oakland Raiders Claim CB David Amerson via Waivers from Washington Redskins |date=September 22, 2015 |website=Raiders.com |accessdate=October 9, 2015}} On November 17, 2015, he was released by the Raiders.{{cite web|url=http://www.raiders.com/news/article-1/Raiders-Make-Roster-Moves/c84d3888-eede-42f8-8a31-50956dac4344|title=Raiders Make Roster Moves|work=Raiders.com|date=November 17, 2015|accessdate=November 18, 2015}}
=Pittsburgh Steelers=
On December 1, 2015, he was signed to the Pittsburgh Steelers' practice squad. On January 18, 2016, the Steelers signed Neal to a future/reserve contract.{{Cite web |last=Bouda |first=Nate |date=January 18, 2016 |title=NFL Transactions: Monday 1/18 – NFL Trade Rumors – |url=http://nfltraderumors.co/nfl-transactions-monday-118/ |access-date=January 20, 2016 |website=NFL Trade Rumors |language=en-US}} He was later released by the team.{{cite web|url=https://stillcurtain.com/2016/05/10/steelers-sign-4-from-rookie-minicamp/|title=Steelers Sign 4 from rookie minicamp|last=Goncz|first=Zack|date=May 10, 2016|publisher=Still Curtain|accessdate=August 4, 2017}}
=Cleveland Browns=
On August 4, 2016, Neal was signed by the Cleveland Browns.{{Cite web |date=August 4, 2016 |title=Cleveland Browns sign FB Robert Hughes and RB Rajion Neal |url=http://fox8.com/2016/08/04/cleveland-browns-sign-fb-robert-hughes-and-rb-rajion-neal/ |access-date=March 5, 2024 |website=FOX8}} He was later released by the team.{{Cite web |date=September 2, 2016 |title=NFL roster-cut tracker: Which big names were released? |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2016/09/02/nfl-roster-cut-tracker-releases-players/89759240/ |access-date=November 9, 2017 |website=USA TODAY |language=en}}
=Hamilton Tiger-Cats=
In December 2017, Neal signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League for the 2018 season,{{Cite web |date=December 11, 2017 |title=Ticats ink six international free agents |url=https://www.cfl.ca/2017/12/11/ticats-ink-six-international-free-agents/ |access-date=March 5, 2024 |website=CFL.ca}} but was released in February 2018, prior to training camp.{{Cite web |date=February 24, 2018 |title=Kicker Castillo among players cut by Ticats |url=https://www.tsn.ca/kicker-castillo-defensive-lineman-d-aguilar-among-players-released-by-ticats-1.1009909 |access-date=March 5, 2024 |website=TSN.ca|agency=The Canadian Press}}
=Memphis Express=
On September 27, 2018, Neal signed with the Memphis Express of the Alliance of American Football for the 2019 season.{{cite web|url=https://210football.com/aaf-announces-new-players-on-san-antonio-commanders-roster|title=AAF announces new players on San Antonio Commanders roster|work=210 Football|date=September 27, 2018|accessdate=February 6, 2019}} He was waived on February 21, 2019. During two games played, Neal had 8 rushes for 15 yards, and 4 catches for 10 yards.{{Cite web |date=2019-02-04 |title=Birmingham Iron vs Memphis Express |url=https://noextrapoints.com/boxscores/week-1-bir-mem/ |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=NoExtraPoints}}{{Cite web |date=2019-02-11 |title=Memphis Express vs Arizona Hotshots – Week 2 |url=https://noextrapoints.com/boxscores/week-2-mem-ari/ |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=NoExtraPoints}}
=Hamilton Tiger-Cats (II)=
Following his release from the AAF, Neal signed again with Hamilton for the 2019 CFL season,{{Cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/transactions/|title = Transactions – Football Player Trades and Signings}} but again was released by Hamilton prior to training camp.{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Drew |date=May 7, 2019 |title=Why the Ticats released Justin Capicciotti and Alex Green |url=https://3downnation.com/2019/05/06/why-the-ticats-released-justin-capicciotti-and-alex-green/ |access-date=March 6, 2024 |website=3DownNation |language=en-US}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304064018/http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/rajion_neal_586392.html Tennessee Volunteers bio]
{{Tennessee Volunteers football rushing leaders navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neal, Rajion}}
Category:Players of American football from Fayetteville, Georgia
Category:People from Tyrone, Georgia
Category:American football running backs
Category:Tennessee Volunteers football players
Category:Miami Dolphins players
Category:Oakland Raiders players
Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players
Category:Cleveland Browns players
Category:Green Bay Packers players
Category:Memphis Express (American football) players
Category:Players of Canadian football from Georgia (U.S. state)