Ryan Neill
Encyclopedia
Ryan Neill is an American football
long snapper
who is currently a free agent
in the National Football League
. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills
as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He grew up in Wayne, New Jersey
and played college football
at Rutgers
.
Neill has also played for the San Diego Chargers
and St. Louis Rams
.
, New Jersey and was an All-State selection by the Associated Press
and Gannett News, adding All-State Group 3 and All-State recognition from the Star Ledger. He was also a member of the Super 100 All-State Football Team that was selected by the NewJersey Football Coaches Association. While at Wayne Hills compiled a 33-3 record in his three seasons as a starter. In 2000, he recorded 106 tackles and 16 sacks. He also forced four fumbles, and recovered two, returning one for 20 yards for a score.
defl ections and a 31-yard interception return for a touchdown. He is fifth in school history with his 19.0 quarterback sacks, topped only by Nate Toran (52, 1973–76), Dan Gray (29, 1975–77), Dino Mangiero (26, 1976–79) and Shawn Williams (21, 1989–92).
His ten sacks in 2005 rank seventh on Rutgers’ season-record list and as a senior was a Sports Illustrated
honorable mention All American Selection. He was also an Academic All-American District II choice and was First-team All-Big East Conference and Academic All-Big East accolades. He was also named the team’s MVP. He started all year at right defensive end and ranked second in the Big East and eighth nationally with 21.5 stops for losses and ranked second in the conference with 10.0 sacks and added 24 quarterback pressures, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
As a junior in 2004 Neill was First-team All-Big East Conference after starting every game at right defensive end, recording 43 tackles (18 solos) and ranked second in the Big East with 8.0 sacks, 13 stops for losses and four quarterback pressures, recovered a fumble and deflected a pass.
was injured the Rams signed Neill to handle those duties.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
long snapper
Long snapper
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He grew up in Wayne, New Jersey
Wayne, New Jersey
Wayne is a Township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States, located less than from midtown Manhattan. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 54,069....
and played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Rutgers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represents Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision play...
.
Neill has also played for the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
.
Early years
Neill attended Wayne Hills High SchoolWayne Hills High School
Wayne Hills High School is a comprehensive community public high school, in Wayne, in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States, operating as one of the two high schools that are part of the Wayne Public Schools...
, New Jersey and was an All-State selection by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
and Gannett News, adding All-State Group 3 and All-State recognition from the Star Ledger. He was also a member of the Super 100 All-State Football Team that was selected by the NewJersey Football Coaches Association. While at Wayne Hills compiled a 33-3 record in his three seasons as a starter. In 2000, he recorded 106 tackles and 16 sacks. He also forced four fumbles, and recovered two, returning one for 20 yards for a score.
College career
In 41 games at Rutgers, Neill started 35 game. and recorded 176 tackles (82 solos) with 19 sacks and made 41 stops for losses and wascredited with 28 quarterback pressures, three fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles… he also had three passdefl ections and a 31-yard interception return for a touchdown. He is fifth in school history with his 19.0 quarterback sacks, topped only by Nate Toran (52, 1973–76), Dan Gray (29, 1975–77), Dino Mangiero (26, 1976–79) and Shawn Williams (21, 1989–92).
His ten sacks in 2005 rank seventh on Rutgers’ season-record list and as a senior was a Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
honorable mention All American Selection. He was also an Academic All-American District II choice and was First-team All-Big East Conference and Academic All-Big East accolades. He was also named the team’s MVP. He started all year at right defensive end and ranked second in the Big East and eighth nationally with 21.5 stops for losses and ranked second in the conference with 10.0 sacks and added 24 quarterback pressures, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
As a junior in 2004 Neill was First-team All-Big East Conference after starting every game at right defensive end, recording 43 tackles (18 solos) and ranked second in the Big East with 8.0 sacks, 13 stops for losses and four quarterback pressures, recovered a fumble and deflected a pass.
Buffalo Bills
Neill was an undrafted free agent and signed with the Bills and handled the long-snapping duties for the Bills in 2007 and 2008.St. Louis Rams
After Rams long snapper Chris MasseyChris Massey
Christopher Todd Massey is an American football long snapper who is currently on Chicago Bears. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
was injured the Rams signed Neill to handle those duties.