Healthy Rajion Neal eager to show Packers he can be No. 3 running back

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Rajion Neal watched the 2015 NFL draft closely. One year after not hearing his name called, the young Packers running back was interested in the picks being made for a different reason.

After every selection was completed and none of Green Bay's eight draftees were running backs, Neal couldn't help but feel excited.

"That was a great sign," Neal said before letting out a sigh of relief. "It was an opportunity. It was just a blessing in disguise."

Neal was aware of how the team's depth chart looked at his position. Eddie Lacy is the surefire starter and one of the NFL's top performers out of the backfield. James Starks is the veteran backup who complements Lacy's bruising style.

Behind Lacy and Starks, though, Neal was the only other running back on the roster when this year's draft concluded.

"I definitely want to come back here and show and prove that they made a good decision in what they did and how they went about what they did," Neal said. "It's time to kind of pay them back a little bit for showing me a little love."

The Packers added two undrafted running backs, North Dakota State's John Crockett and Alonzo Harris out of Louisiana-Lafayette. 

Like Neal in 2014, Crockett and Harris likely represent long-term projects that Green Bay might prefer to develop on the practice squad for a full season. That should give Neal the best chance among that group to be the No. 3 running back.

"That's just, whew, if you had to put yourself in a situation, that's one I think I would put myself in," Neal said. "Those guys behind me are pretty good, as well, and I think the competition between all of us is going to bring out who we really are and I think it's going to push us."

Last year in training camp, Neal was playing very well and had a shot to compete with DuJuan Harris and grab the third spot. A 12-yard touchdown run in the third quarter of the Packers' exhibition opener in Tennessee highlighted some of Neal's skills. He took a handoff to the left, immediately broke outside and outran three Titans players before crashing hard into an oncoming defender at the goal line for the score.

It was a moment that had Neal believing in himself. It was also the type of play that usually sticks in the minds of front-office decision-makers.

But the night didn't end well for Neal. On a fourth-quarter kickoff return, he tried to plant and get in between two blockers. A helmet to the knee not only ended the play, the resulting MCL injury ended Neal's bid to be an undrafted rookie making the active roster.

Neal said he was "very fortunate" that Green Bay allowed him to finish his rehabilitation around the Lambeau Field facilities throughout the month of August. 

The expected recovery for Neal's injury ranged between two and six weeks. He pointed out how Philadelphia Eagles running back Darren Sproles suffered the same injury during the 2014 season and only missed one game.

On Aug. 26, the Packers placed Neal on season-ending injured reserve. Four days later, he was released with an injury settlement.

Before Neal left, he was told that he would be welcomed back by Green Bay after the NFL's eight-week window passed. To make sure he didn't let the team down, Neal continued his rehabilitation at what was then called the Athletes' Performance Institute in Florida. It was the same place where Neal trained for the Scouting Combine earlier that year. 

"Maybe a week after I left (the Packers) and did rehab, I was making full-speed cuts and running laterally," Neal said. "I want to say maybe a week or two after that I felt confident and strong in what I could do on my knee."

Sure enough, as Green Bay wrapped up its Week 9 bye, Neal's phone rang. The Packers wanted to sign him to the practice squad for the remainder of the season.

"That was big," Neal said. "It was nerve-wracking. You kind of didn't know how everything was going to turn out, because I know with most injuries, some guys don't really come back the same. And depending on how it happened, it may be a mental thing.

"The fact they gave me that opportunity, they held up to everything that they told me, and I can't be nothing but grateful."

As Neal began his second year in a Green Bay uniform, the injury was clearly behind him. Throughout organized team activities and minicamp, Neal looked comfortable and strong as the third-in-line running back. 

"I feel great," he said. "I feel that I have a lot more reps than last year. Being a younger guy, they brought us along slowly, and really making sure we were ready before we step out there. And this year was more reps. I think it was a great experience."

Neal looked especially strong in recent practices catching the ball out of the backfield, an area that he's always considered one of his strengths.

"That's just something I pride myself on, being able to do a bunch of different things," Neal said. "So I'm not just stuck with trying to get handoffs out of the backfield. I want to be able to catch, go in there and block, run. Anything I can do to play and help this team win, I'm all for it."

When Neal reports for training camp, he'll get plenty of opportunities to show he can help the Packers win. Unless Crockett or Harris really stand out, Neal should have the inside track to be part of the 53-man roster.

"I would definitely say, as long as I'm healthy, getting an opportunity to go out there and play with those guys and get reps, I feel good (about my chances)," Neal said.

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