When it comes to winning football games, it truly comes down to the battles in the trenches. A good offensive line makes all the difference in leaving a football game victorious and the NY Giants were committed to bolstering their offensive line in the 2022 NFL Draft.
This is why when it comes to which selection should be the best pick in this year’s draft, it’s easily offensive tackle Evan Neal out of Alabama. Not only will Neal easily be a starter this upcoming season, but he brings everything you can ask for in a tackle and then some.
At 6-7 and 337 pounds, Neal was considered one of if not the best offensive tackle in this year’s class. He has the size, football IQ, speed, and toughness to not let anyone get to the quarterback he’s protecting. He excels in pass protection and is also excellent in helping establish rushing lanes and gaps so running backs can do what they do best.
Evan Neal is the best pick the NY Giants made in 2022 NFL Draft
In the grand scheme of things, even though this would be considered a “boring” pick when it comes to the draft, it’s key if a team wants to win more football games. All the top NFL Playoff teams can easily brag about how big, efficient, and successful their offensive lines are at protecting their quarterback and doing their thing so their running backs can shine.
This will hopefully be the case with the Giants as they prepare for redemption in 2022 after an abysmal 4-13 season last year. Big Blue can only go up from here and now with Neal in the mix, better days should be ahead for a Giants’ offensive line that was in dire need of someone with his unique skill-set.
If it’s one thing to know about Neal is that he takes pride in making sure nobody gets past him to sack his quarterback as he was extremely proficient in this area in his three seasons at Alabama. Pairing him up with fellow offensive tackle Andrew Thomas easily makes the Giants’ offensive line better and more stable.
Overall, the Giants got it right by selecting Neal with the No. 7 overall pick. He fixes an immediate need, infuses young talent on an offensive line that needed it, and has all the makings to be a star offensive tackle for many years to come on the Giants.