Neil started playing tackle football in the 4th grade at Lincoln School in Medford. His early start paid off at the high school level. A three-year letterman in football, he made 1st team all-conference tackle 2 years, 1st team All State his senior year and played in the All-Star game in Memphis, Tennessee on the High School All American team his senior year. He was a member of the runner-up State Champion football team that year and played in the Shrine All Star game in Portland.

Neil lettered three years on the Medford track team that took the State Championship all three years. His senior year he was the State Shot Put Champion and the 1st high school student in Oregon to put the shot over 60 feet. He made the All-American track team.

Attending Oregon State on a four-year football scholarship, under coach Tommy Prothro, Neil lettered three years and received the “Iron Man” award for most playing time of any team member his junior and senior year and was also awarded Academic All American both years. While at OSU, Neil was a three-year letterman in track and the OSU school record holder in the shot put.

After a fine career at Oregon State University, Neil was with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian League.