Ex-Alabama coach has no doubt Evan Neal will be a stud for the Giants
How bright is the future for rookie offensive tackle Evan Neal with the NY Giants? The sky really is the limit for his potential with the team, as the former Alabama Crimson Tide standout is all ready to get to work with left tackle Andrew Thomas in protecting Daniel Jones. So, just how good can Neal be during his rookie season in the NFC East?
Few people know him better than former Alabama offensive line coach Kyle Flood. Flood, now the offensive coordinator at Texas, spent two years working closely with Neal and helped him develop his game. If you ask Flood, who spoke with the Giants huddle podcast, there’s no doubt in his mind Neal has what it takes to be successful for head coach Brian Daboll.
NY Giants rookie RT Evan Neal will be a stud for this team
"“I think he can fit in just about anywhere,” Flood said via the Giants team website. “He’s a very unique combination of size, flexibility and explosion. I think that’s why he can play both. When you play guard, you really need to be a short area explosive player to win the line of scrimmage inside. Everything kind of happens faster in there than it does at tackle. But at tackle, you have to have the spatial awareness, you have to have the length, you have to have the ability to stop and start your body in space, and he does that really well, too.”"
Neal was incredibly versatile while at Alabama, as he spent time at left guard, left tackle and right tackle. With his ability to line up at multiple different spots for the Giants, it only adds to his potential with the squad. For now, though, right tackle appears where Daboll and Co. envision him for the long haul.
Neal made quite the splash at OTAs and minicamp, and things are only going to keep growing for him once training camp starts in late July. Neal is going to be thrown into the fire early on, but the 6-7, 350-pounder will be ready to make noise from Week 1 moving forward.
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Neal said his dreams came true when the Giants took him in the first round. Now, it’ll be on him to prove general manager Joe Schoen right with his decision to grab him at No. 7. Per Flood’s take on his former hoss, Neal should have no issues living up to expectations for the G-Men.