7 bold predictions for the NY Giants preseason games
4. Evan Neal struggles (and that’s okay)
So far through training camp, we have seen No. 7 overall pick Evan Neal struggle somewhat against his teammates. However, this is something that should be expected, as not only is it somewhat common for rookie offensive tackles to struggle during their first season in the league, but Neal has also moved over to right tackle for NY.
During the 2020 season, we saw the struggles that Andrew Thomas went through as a rookie, as he allowed 10 sacks and had a PFF player grade of 62.4. Then, after putting in work during the offseason, Thomas broke out during his sophomore year, coming out as one of the best young tackles in the NFL.
If Neal comes out and struggles early out the gates during the preseason, NY Giants fans should not worry. There are few doubts about how great Neal will eventually become. There’s going to be some ups and downs for him, sure, but people shouldn’t hit the panic button.