People all over Twitter are still losing their minds over the transformation showcased by right tackle Evan Neal. The young NY Giants hoss is entering his sophomore season with plenty of confidence, as he's hoping to post a bounce-back year.
Neal is not only looking leaner, but also more muscular. After his tough rookie season, there's no question that Neal is going to have to elevate his game in order to help signal-caller Daniel Jones and the rest of the offense.
In a new piece, ESPN has broken down several different aspects for Big Blue, including who they think will be the X-Factor for the G-Men in '23. Their choice was Neal and we fully agree with them in this case.
Evan Neal is hoping to post a huge second year for the NY Giants
"RT Evan Neal. His rookie season was one to forget, ranking 58th and 54th (out of 64) in pass block win rate and run block win rate, respectively per ESPN Analytics and NFL Next Gen Stats. With an excellent LT in Andrew Thomas on the other side, if Neal can play well and give the Giants two strong tackles, that would go a long way in supporting quarterback Daniel Jones."ESPN's Seth Walder
Again, we think ESPN's Seth Walder is spot on with his assesment. The offensive line looked brutal at times for the Giants last season. It was frustrating to watch - outside of Andrew Thomas, there was no consistency up front.
Neal, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, entered the campaign with high expectations. He was far and away the best OT prospect for his class. However, the disappointing play was on full display from start to finish last campaign.
That's why Neal has been grinding around the clock to get better this offseason. He's been working out to change his body, while also making changes to his technique and stance. Neal has been focused on taking his game to a new level, which is fantastic news for Brian Daboll and offensive line coach Bobby Johnson.
Neal is poised to have a strong second campaign with this team. If he does take a step forward, then no one will be happier than Jones and running back Saquon Barkley.
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