Very rarely does it happen when a college football player decides to leave a school after having just transferred there or at least been in the process of trying to sign there. For cornerback Julian Neal, that is the case.
Julian Neal is Back in the Transfer Portal
According to On3 reporter Pete Nakos, cornerback Julian Neal, who made his name at Fresno State, was granted his release from Stanford. The Cardinal just officially released him from his transfer paperwork.
Stanford has officially released Fresno State cornerback Julian Neal from his paperwork, @On3sports has learned.
Will be a top cornerback this spring. Posted 35 tackles, 5 TFLs and 2 INTs in 2024. https://t.co/wMrfFrcNOy pic.twitter.com/kfJp2S2wlu
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) April 11, 2025
As one of the better defensive backs in the transfer portal, Neal will likely have plenty of suitors out there.
After playing sparingly in both his freshman and sophomore seasons at Fresno State, he put together a very strong junior season in 2024. He recorded 35 total tackles, five pass deflections, two interceptions, and a sack.
The San Francisco native has the chance to be one of the premiere cornerbacks in the country in the right situation.
Potential Landing Spots for Julian Neal
Seeing as Neal is a San Francisco native who played his first stint of college ball at Fresno State, along with nearly transferring to Stanford, could he be looking to stay close to home?
If that is indeed the case, could the University of California-Berkeley be an option? Head coach Justin Wilcox is always looking for top-tier defensive backs to add to his roster.
If not Berkeley, could Neal head south to play for either USC or UCLA? Both schools are in a conference that boasts plenty of offensive talent.
Especially for USC, defense has been an issue each of the last few seasons under head coach Lincoln Riley.
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If Neal is not thinking of staying in his home state, maybe he is thinking of making it big in the SEC for a school such as Georgia or Texas.
Time can only tell as there is still time for Neal to make his choice ahead of the 2025 college football season.
But rest assured, whichever team makes the choice to add the star cornerback is likely going to receive a huge return on investment because of his coverage skills and great physicality.
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