- Limited to just nine games as a pro due to injuries over the course of his first two seasons.
- Earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors as a senior for the Boilermakers.
- Highest-drafted player out of Purdue by the Packers since G/LB Tom Bettis in 1955 (fifth overall pick).
- Posted several team weightlifting records at Purdue, including a 510-pound bench press and a 615-pound squat.
- Father, Michael, played defensive tackle at Weber State from 1986-87, and went to training camp with the N.Y. Giants in 1988.
Pro Highlights:
- Powerful defensive end and inside pass rusher who will look to bounce back from a series of injuries that have plagued him throughout his first two professional seasons.
- Has been limited to just nine games over the course of two years, missing all but two games of his rookie campaign with abdominal/shoulder injuries and then suffering a knee sprain in training camp that sidelined him until midseason in 2011.
- In the small sample of playing time when healthy his rookie year, showed tremendous potential by recording five tackles, a sack and a forced fumble.
- Injured his right shoulder in Week 5 and was eventually placed on injured reserve in 2010.
- Made the transition to end after starting his last two seasons at Purdue at left defensive tackle.
2011 SEASON: Suffered a knee injury during a non-contact drill early in training camp that required surgery and kept him out of action for the first nine games of the regular season…Returned to the lineup for the Week 11 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and went on to play in subsequent six games and the team’s postseason contest, finishing with five tackles (three solo)…Vs. Tampa Bay (Nov. 20): Made his season debut, his first action since Week 5 of 2010. Played on defense, seeing time as a situational rusher on passing downs, but did not record any statistics…Vs. Chicago (Dec. 25): Appeared on 22 plays and had his most productive game of 2011, recording three tackles (two solo)…Vs. N.Y. Giants (NFC Divisional, Jan. 15): Made his postseason debut, appearing on 17 plays and posting one solo tackle.
2010: Due to injuries, played in just two games as a reserve end and nickel pass rusher, recording five tackles (two solo), a sack and a forced fumble…Missed the first three games with an abdominal injury, made his NFL debut in Week 4, and then the following week injured his right shoulder and was placed on injured reserve Oct. 26…Vs. Detroit (Oct. 3): In first NFL action, played 26 snaps on defense and caused a turnover with a hit 3 yards in the backfield on Lions RB Jahvid Best, forcing a fumble that DT Ryan Pickett recovered. The turnover led to a TE Jermichael Finley TD reception that put the Packers ahead to stay, 14-7…At Washington (Oct. 10): After Pickett left with a sprained ankle on the first series, played 53 snaps and had five tackles (two solo), including a sack of QB Donovan McNabb for a 9-yard loss in the third quarter. Also was stout against the run, helping the defense hold the Redskins to just 51 rushing yards on 21 carries (2.4 avg.), with a long of 8…2010 Draft: Taken in the second round (No. 56 overall), the first Purdue player drafted by the Packers since RB Watson (seventh round, 1998) and the highest taken by Green Bay since G/LB Bettis in 1955 (fifth overall pick). Also the highest-drafted defensive player from Purdue since OLB Anthony Spencer was selected 26th overall by Dallas in 2007.
COLLEGE: Played in 46 games with 23 starts as a four-year letterman for the Boilermakers, with all of the starts coming in his final two seasons…Finished his career with 99 tackles (56 solo), including 26 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks…Played in a pair of all-star games, the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl, following his senior campaign…Posted several team weightlifting records, including a 510-pound bench press and a 615-pound squat…Graduated with a degree in health and fitness…Senior season (2009): Earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors from the media…Was a team co-captain…Started all 12 games at LDT…Posted 35 tackles (20 solo) and ranked second on the team with 5½ sacks…Finished third on the team with 11½ tackles for loss, and added one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries…Helped limit No. 7 Buckeyes to just 66 rushing yards on 28 carries (2.4 avg.) in 26-18 upset win vs. Ohio State (Oct. 17)…Matched career high with two sacks at Michigan (Nov. 7)…Posted career-high six tackles (four solo) and game-high 2½ tackles for loss in final college game at Indiana (Nov. 21)…Junior season (2008): Played in all 12 games with 11 starts, posting 33 tackles (18 solo)…Ranked second on the team with 5½ sacks and third with 10 tackles for loss…Established career high with two sacks among five tackles (four solo) at Northwestern (Oct. 18)…Sophomore season (2007): Played in all 13 games and posted 22 tackles (10 solo)…Added two sacks and 3½ tackles for loss, along with one pass defensed…Posted the first sack of his career at Toledo (Sept. 1)…Registered season-high five tackles (two solo), including 1½ for loss and a sack, in Motor City Bowl win vs. Central Michigan (Dec. 26)…Redshirt freshman season (2006): Appeared in nine games as a reserve…Posted nine tackles (eight solo), including one for a loss, and a pass breakup…Missed five games in the middle of the season due to a turf toe injury…Had a season-high three tackles (all solo) and a pass breakup in Champs Sports Bowl vs. Maryland (Dec. 29).
PERSONAL: Given name Michael Jamel Neal…Single…Born in Gary, Ind. …Father, Michael, was a two-time all-conference DT at Weber State (1986-87), where he played for current Texas-El Paso head coach Mike Price…Father also went to training camp with the N.Y. Giants in 1988…High school: First-team all-state selection as a senior at Merrillville (Ind.) High…Posted 59 tackles, including 24 for loss and 12 sacks, along with 20 QB hurries, six passes defensed and a blocked kick that season…Ranked as No. 29 strongside DE in the nation and the No. 6 player in Indiana by Rivals.com…Registered 49 tackles, including 14 for loss and four sacks, with three pass breakups and a fumble recovery as a junior…Also played TE…Lettered twice in basketball…Community involvement: Participated in a Q&A session and threw footballs to guests at an event for the Green Bay Traffic Club...Hobbies/interests: Enjoys going to church, watching movies and playing video games…Lists Joel Osteen as his favorite author and Men of Honor as his favorite movie…Residence: Merrillville, Ind.
- Limited to just nine games as a pro due to injuries over the course of his first two seasons.
- Earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors as a senior for the Boilermakers.
- Highest-drafted player out of Purdue by the Packers since G/LB Tom Bettis in 1955 (fifth overall pick).
- Posted several team weightlifting records at Purdue, including a 510-pound bench press and a 615-pound squat.
- Father, Michael, played defensive tackle at Weber State from 1986-87, and went to training camp with the N.Y. Giants in 1988.
Pro Highlights:
- Powerful defensive end and inside pass rusher who will look to bounce back from a series of injuries that have plagued him throughout his first two professional seasons.
- Has been limited to just nine games over the course of two years, missing all but two games of his rookie campaign with abdominal/shoulder injuries and then suffering a knee sprain in training camp that sidelined him until midseason in 2011.
- In the small sample of playing time when healthy his rookie year, showed tremendous potential by recording five tackles, a sack and a forced fumble.
- Injured his right shoulder in Week 5 and was eventually placed on injured reserve in 2010.
- Made the transition to end after starting his last two seasons at Purdue at left defensive tackle.
2011 SEASON: Suffered a knee injury during a non-contact drill early in training camp that required surgery and kept him out of action for the first nine games of the regular season…Returned to the lineup for the Week 11 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and went on to play in subsequent six games and the team’s postseason contest, finishing with five tackles (three solo)…Vs. Tampa Bay (Nov. 20): Made his season debut, his first action since Week 5 of 2010. Played on defense, seeing time as a situational rusher on passing downs, but did not record any statistics…Vs. Chicago (Dec. 25): Appeared on 22 plays and had his most productive game of 2011, recording three tackles (two solo)…Vs. N.Y. Giants (NFC Divisional, Jan. 15): Made his postseason debut, appearing on 17 plays and posting one solo tackle.
2010: Due to injuries, played in just two games as a reserve end and nickel pass rusher, recording five tackles (two solo), a sack and a forced fumble…Missed the first three games with an abdominal injury, made his NFL debut in Week 4, and then the following week injured his right shoulder and was placed on injured reserve Oct. 26…Vs. Detroit (Oct. 3): In first NFL action, played 26 snaps on defense and caused a turnover with a hit 3 yards in the backfield on Lions RB Jahvid Best, forcing a fumble that DT Ryan Pickett recovered. The turnover led to a TE Jermichael Finley TD reception that put the Packers ahead to stay, 14-7…At Washington (Oct. 10): After Pickett left with a sprained ankle on the first series, played 53 snaps and had five tackles (two solo), including a sack of QB Donovan McNabb for a 9-yard loss in the third quarter. Also was stout against the run, helping the defense hold the Redskins to just 51 rushing yards on 21 carries (2.4 avg.), with a long of 8…2010 Draft: Taken in the second round (No. 56 overall), the first Purdue player drafted by the Packers since RB Watson (seventh round, 1998) and the highest taken by Green Bay since G/LB Bettis in 1955 (fifth overall pick). Also the highest-drafted defensive player from Purdue since OLB Anthony Spencer was selected 26th overall by Dallas in 2007.
COLLEGE: Played in 46 games with 23 starts as a four-year letterman for the Boilermakers, with all of the starts coming in his final two seasons…Finished his career with 99 tackles (56 solo), including 26 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks…Played in a pair of all-star games, the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl, following his senior campaign…Posted several team weightlifting records, including a 510-pound bench press and a 615-pound squat…Graduated with a degree in health and fitness…Senior season (2009): Earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors from the media…Was a team co-captain…Started all 12 games at LDT…Posted 35 tackles (20 solo) and ranked second on the team with 5½ sacks…Finished third on the team with 11½ tackles for loss, and added one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries…Helped limit No. 7 Buckeyes to just 66 rushing yards on 28 carries (2.4 avg.) in 26-18 upset win vs. Ohio State (Oct. 17)…Matched career high with two sacks at Michigan (Nov. 7)…Posted career-high six tackles (four solo) and game-high 2½ tackles for loss in final college game at Indiana (Nov. 21)…Junior season (2008): Played in all 12 games with 11 starts, posting 33 tackles (18 solo)…Ranked second on the team with 5½ sacks and third with 10 tackles for loss…Established career high with two sacks among five tackles (four solo) at Northwestern (Oct. 18)…Sophomore season (2007): Played in all 13 games and posted 22 tackles (10 solo)…Added two sacks and 3½ tackles for loss, along with one pass defensed…Posted the first sack of his career at Toledo (Sept. 1)…Registered season-high five tackles (two solo), including 1½ for loss and a sack, in Motor City Bowl win vs. Central Michigan (Dec. 26)…Redshirt freshman season (2006): Appeared in nine games as a reserve…Posted nine tackles (eight solo), including one for a loss, and a pass breakup…Missed five games in the middle of the season due to a turf toe injury…Had a season-high three tackles (all solo) and a pass breakup in Champs Sports Bowl vs. Maryland (Dec. 29).
PERSONAL: Given name Michael Jamel Neal…Single…Born in Gary, Ind. …Father, Michael, was a two-time all-conference DT at Weber State (1986-87), where he played for current Texas-El Paso head coach Mike Price…Father also went to training camp with the N.Y. Giants in 1988…High school: First-team all-state selection as a senior at Merrillville (Ind.) High…Posted 59 tackles, including 24 for loss and 12 sacks, along with 20 QB hurries, six passes defensed and a blocked kick that season…Ranked as No. 29 strongside DE in the nation and the No. 6 player in Indiana by Rivals.com…Registered 49 tackles, including 14 for loss and four sacks, with three pass breakups and a fumble recovery as a junior…Also played TE…Lettered twice in basketball…Community involvement: Participated in a Q&A session and threw footballs to guests at an event for the Green Bay Traffic Club...Hobbies/interests: Enjoys going to church, watching movies and playing video games…Lists Joel Osteen as his favorite author and Men of Honor as his favorite movie…Residence: Merrillville, Ind.
