To put it bluntly, Evan Neal has been as disappointing as a player can be since he entered the NFL in 2022. The New York Giants invested heavily in the All-American coming out of Alabama, banking on his size and pedigree to fortify the right side of their offensive line opposite Andrew Thomas.
But instead of finding a franchise cornerstone, the G-Men were served déjà vu, and not the good kind, like we’re seeing with Malik Nabers and Odell Beckham Jr. Neal’s struggles felt eerily reminiscent of the failed Ereck Flowers experiment: slow feet, poor leverage, and allowing pressure after pressure off the edge.
In 27 starts across three seasons, the former top 10 pick has never looked comfortable at tackle. He was pretty much a turnstile for defenders as a pass blocker. His confidence waned, the fanbase groaned, and the comparisons to past busts got louder.
But with those struggles came a silver lining. According to Pro Football Focus, the 24-year-old amassed an 80.8 run blocking grade in 2024, which was good for ninth among all tackles.
That suggests the physical tools are still there. Just maybe in the wrong position. The 6-foot-7, 350-pounder is an absolute mammoth. So why did the G-Men wait so long to move him to guard? With his career hanging by a thread, he might not be done just yet. Big Blue is finally going through with the experiment.
Evan Neal makes his debut at right guard during opening day of training camp
It has been reported on several occasions this offseason that Neal would finally be moving to guard, but it wasn’t until training camp that he finally gave fans their first taste.
North Jersey's Art Stapleton reported that Neal shared first-team snaps at right guard along with 35-year-old Greg Van Roten.
There’s no guarantee that he’ll win the job or that the positional change will stick. But at least this provides a glimmer of hope in a career for a player who has inspired little optimism thus far.
Finding his NFL niche is just one aspect of the Evan Neal revival project. He still missed 18 games over the last two seasons, so playing in double-digit games for the first time since he was a rookie would be a step in the right direction.
And this doesn’t account for the fact that the native Floridian is entering a contract year after New York declined to pick up his fifth-year option. Time is of the essence, and the converted tackle needs to make the most of this opportunity.
If guys like Flowers and Greg Robinson could extend their careers with a move like this, so can Neal. The rest of training camp will tell us if this is a true revival, or just a last hurrah before the plug gets pulled.