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5 NY Giants who didn’t live up to expectations in 2022

By Reese Nasser

Jan 8, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Kenny Golladay (19) is tackled by Philadelphia Eagles linebacker T.J. Edwards (57) during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 8, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Kenny Golladay (19) is tackled by Philadelphia Eagles linebacker T.J. Edwards (57) during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 21: Evan Neal #73 of the New York Giants blocks Haason Reddick #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter of an NFL divisional round football game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 21, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 21: Evan Neal #73 of the New York Giants blocks Haason Reddick #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter of an NFL divisional round football game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 21, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) /

3. OL Evan Neal

When you are selected with the No. 7 overall selection in the NFL Draft, expectations will be sky high from Day 1. This was the case for former Alabama tackle Evan Neal. Upon his arrival to the NFL, Neal was expected to be a force for Big Blue. While he showed flashes of this talent during his rookie season, he ultimately struggled to deliver in a way that many hoped he would.

Neal finished his rookie year posting a PFF offensive grade of 44.0. Along with this, he allowed seven sacks, while also being called for seven penalties. These numbers do not tell the whole story. For much of his rookie season, Neal played through several injuries. This included a sprained MCL, which impacted his play on the field.

While he struggled in his debut campaign, it is still far too early to label Neal as a bust, which many have already started to do. His rookie season was hardly different from that of his teammate Andrew Thomas, who has now become one of the best left tackles in the NFL.

Given time, Neal should find his footing in the league. And when this does happen, the Giants could potentially send out one of the most dominant tackle pairings in the NFL. The future remains bright for the former first-round pick.

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