Rajion Neal vs. John Crockett: Which Player Will Be Packers' No. 3 RB in 2015?

The Green Bay Packers will most likely keep three halfbacks on the final 53-man roster, setting up a training camp battle for the No. 3 spot behind Eddie Lacy and James Starks between undrafted rookie John Crockett and practice-squad holdover Rajion Neal. 

Any chance for the Packers to carry four fullbacks on the final roster is negated by veteran fullback John Kuhn and rookie Aaron Ripkowski vying for two total spots. Considering that third-string running back DuJuan Harris only played 51 snaps (of 1,018 total running back snaps) in 2014, per Pro Football Focus, a fourth back wouldn't get much use in the rotation. 

The question, of course, is will Crockett or Neal better complement Lacy and Starks in the backfield?

	John Crockett	Rajion Neal
Height	6'0"	5'11"
Weight	217 lbs	220 lbs
Age	23	23
40-yard Dash	4.62 sec	4.57 sec

At first blush, Neal's experience in Green Bay's system obviously gives him an edge in the competition. Neal was off to an impressive start to the preseason in 2014, the highlight of which was this 12-yard touchdown run in the preseason game against the Tennessee Titans. 

However, Neal injured his knee in that game and finished the season on the practice squad after the Packers brought him back in Week 8, the earliest allowed when a player reaches an injury settlement. 

Though Neal's rushing performance at Tennessee was notable—he finished his career with 2,163 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns—he also excelled catching passes out of the backfield. 

Through his college career, Neal had 66 catches for 626 yards and five touchdowns. He also played as a wide receiver, further underscoring his good hands. 

In his draft profile, Nolan Nawrocki of NFL.com called Neal a "very natural, effortless catcher." And according to Paul Imig of Fox Sports Wisconsin, so far this offseason Neal has looked very strong catching passes out of the backfield.

"That's just something I pride myself on, being able to do a bunch of different things," Neal said, per Imig. "So I'm not just stuck with trying to get handoffs out of the backfield. I want to be able to catch, go in there and block, run. Anything I can do to play and help this team win, I'm all for it."

One pre-draft criticism of Neal was that he did not pick up a lot of yards after contact, something the Packers have come to expect with Lacy leading the backfield. He'll be able to work on that in training camp. 

Crockett, on the other hand, may not get to utilize training camp to his full benefit. It all depends on how quickly he recovers from the sprained ankle he suffered during the Packers' first minicamp practice while running a route up the sideline.

Luckily for Crockett, X-rays showed no break, and Crockett feels like he'll be ready for training camp, per Imig. 

While Neal's familiarity in Green Bay's offense may give him a leg up in this competition, Crockett's talent could close that gap quickly. 

General manger Ted Thompson must have been delighted that Crockett did not get selected in the NFL draft in May. According to Weston Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, the Packers called Crockett in the sixth round to express interest in signing him should he go undrafted. 

NFL.com projected Crockett to be drafted in Round 6 or 7. He was a top performer among running back prospects at the NFL combine in the vertical jump (40 inches) and the broad jump (125 inches) and ran a 4.62-second 40-yard dash.

At North Dakota State, Crockett had more proven production than did Neal. Crockett had three consecutive seasons of 1,000-plus rushing yards, and in his senior year, he set school records for all-purpose yards (2,419), rushing yards (1,994) and rushing attempts (368).

North Dakota State also ran a pro-style rushing attack, which helps mitigate the fact that Neal has more experience in a pro system than does Crockett heading into training camp. 

Crockett would likely be a change from the power-run style that both Lacy and Starks bring to the table, which may not be an overall negative depending on the play. Per his NFL.com draft profile, Crockett runs upright through the hole rather than lowering his shoulder and doesn't play as powerfully as he looks.

However, Crockett could be a three-down player, and while the Packers tend to rotate Starks and Lacy in on entire drives rather than from play to play, Crockett could prove to be a welcome change of pace. He's able to put a closing burst on his runs and can break away from defenders downfield. 

While in a vacuum, whichever player flashes the most talent in training camp would make the 53-man roster, the Packers' final decision may be more political than that. Per Hodkiewicz, Crockett said he got calls from approximately 20 NFL teams expressing interest in signing him as an undrafted free agent. 

It's extremely possible that if the Packers try to place Crockett on the practice squad, he won't clear waivers. In that regard, Neal could be a safer bet to stash and develop on the practice squad. 

Undrafted rookie Alonzo Harris will also compete for the No. 3 halfback spot, but expect this competition to come down to Neal vs. Crockett.