Florida’s deep secondary loss will turn into the NFL’s gain once again.
Talented All-SEC cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III confirmed last month that he will be leaving the Gators early for the NFL. A couple of days later, one of Hargreaves’ defensive backfield mates has followed suit.
“This was honestly the hardest decision I’ve ever made, but prayer and family support helped a lot. ... It’s time to take the next step in my life and attain my dream,” safety Keanu Neal wrote in an Instagram post announcing that he will be leaving Gainesville early for the NFL.A photo posted by Keanu Neal (@42problemz) on Jan 6, 2016 at 9:32am PST
The 6-1, 216-pound Neal started 21 games the past two seasons. As a third-year junior this season, Neal was third on the team with 96 tackles.
Neal becomes the fifth Gator to declare early for the NFL, joining Hargreaves, running back Kelvin Taylor, defensive end Alex McCalister and wide receiver Demarcus Robinson.