Jayden Neal, - Prep Redzone

Jayden Neal

Quarterback

2025 Class

6'0" Height

195 Weight

Knoxville Catholic School

State Rank
Position Rank

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About Jayden

Expert Analysis

Chris Smith

Prep Redzone Lead Scout

Sitting just outside the top five, Neal is a precision passer that returns for the Fall season as one of the top passers in the state based on production and a veteran guy that has multiple years under his belt as a starter. His game fits well on the college level as well. Neal is a cerebral guy that understands what he is doing on the field while sporting strong leadership abilities. He is a bit undersized but more than makes up for it with his arm strength, poise and fearless attitude. I like this East Tennessee talent and what he can bring to the college game. His senior season will go a long way towards possibly rising up in our next updated rankings while also boosting his recruiting stock.

2 years ago

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Chris Smith

Prep Redzone Lead Scout

Strengths – A multi year starter with a lot of experience in games and with his off-season work, Neal is one of the more seasoned quarterbacks we have from our #TN2025 class but also someone with enough talent to work his way into an FCS scholarship, even maybe a sniff from some D1 schools. The Fighting Irish senior is a pure pocket passer with nice mechanics and the arm strength to push the ball down field or make some tough throws that you see on the collegiate level. He remains poised in the pocket while under duress, keeping his eyes down field, always looking for the open receiver. Neal shows nice zip on his passes along with timing. He is also a good athlete that can tuck it and run if needed but Neal would prefer to remain in the pocket and deliver the pass. When it comes from a pure passing standpoint, Neal is one of the best that we have in the state with room for growth. This guy is tough, someone you want under center and a leader that will give his all to watch his team succeed.

Improvement – You can’t fix size. You can only hope Neal grows a few more inches to boost his stock even further but if that doesn’t happen, to me it’s not that big of a deal because this East TN talent can definitely spin it! Neal must also work on his footwork. He’s a good athlete that moves but increased foot speed will allow him to climb the pocket faster and get the ball out in a clean fashion.

Overview – Neal is a good football player that has dedicated himself to his development and work over the years, placing himself on the map these days as a potential Top 10 quarterback in this state. One of the best pure passers from our #TN2025 class, Neal can provide a good option to the QB room as someone with strong football knowledge and the willingness to win. His ability to stay poised and drive the ball down field are strong traits that should appeal to collegiate coaches. He of course like everyone else must continue developing his overall skill set and smarts but the tools are there to become a potential starter on the FCS level with some upside to be looked at by some D1 programs.

2 years ago

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Ryder McConville

Prep Redzone Scout

Jayden Neal Jayden Neal 6'0" | 195 lbs | QB Knoxville Catholic | 2025 State TN shows some great arm talent to make all types of impressive throws out of Knoxville Catholic High School. He displays good ability to throw with touch and high velocity to layer throws or hit tight windows. Great in the pocket with subtle movements to slide and give himself clean throwing lanes. Excellent poise under pressure with nice feet in the pocket and remains accurate.