Downhill enforcer at safety with linebacker density in a 6-1, 216-pound frame, arriving at Penn State off a 77-tackle breakout as Iowa State's back-end tone-setter. Neal does his best work coming forward — 40 solo stops in 2025, with enough ball skill (two picks, three breakups) to keep offenses honest over the top. The self-described shark mentality shows up in how he arrives. Three Round 1 appearances in 2027 mocks in a single week plus Phil Steele preseason All-America billing say the industry sees a riser. However, the coverage résumé is thinner than the tackle sheet — five career passes defensed across two starting-caliber seasons is modest for a first-round safety, and he is now proving it in a new scheme against Big Ten passing games. The floor is a physical, starting-caliber NFL strong safety. Day 2 grade with a genuine late-first push if the ball production spikes in 2026.