One of the key elements of the New York Giants’ rebuilding efforts is the re-establishment of a dominant offensive line. Over the past few seasons, the Giants have used premium draft quality towards that effort and are still waiting for the dividends to roll in.
One reason is the stunted growth of right tackle Evan Neal, an oft-injured, underachiever who Big Blue selected seventh overall in the 2022 NFL draft out of powerhouse Alabama.
Neal has played in just seven games this season, missing the last month or so with an ankle injury. No one is using the ‘B’ word quite yet but the clock is ticking on the massive second-year lineman.
Last week, general manager Joe Schoen admitted Neal had to ‘get better’ and step up his game. That can’t happen if Neal remains sidelined, which could be the case again this week when the Giants face the Green Bay Packers at home on Monday night.
“That’s not something that I can control necessarily so I don’t really want to harp on it too much, but in life, unexpected things happen,” Neal said on Wednesday. “So, I’m really just rolling with the punches, controlling everything that I can control so when the opportunity does present itself for me to go back out on the field, I’ll be ready.”
Ready or not, Neal has not been very good regardless of his physical state.
“He has allowed 30 pressures (two sacks) on 309 pass-blocking snaps and ranks No. 97 among tackles in Pro Football Focus’ pass-blocking efficiency, which measures pressure allowed on a per-snap basis with weighting toward sacks allowed,” writes New York Post beat writer Ryan Dunleavy.
Neal remains confident, however. He believes nothing has changed since he was scouted before being drafted and will live up to expectations.
“Of course I can. I’ve put a lot of dominant reps on tape, a lot of times they go unnoticed, a lot of times the reps that I struggle get highlighted, but if you really sit back and watch the tape, I do a lot of good things,” Neal said. “I do a lot of dominant things on the football field that a lot of times go unnoticed, but that’s the nature of being an offensive lineman, you’re not noticed until you mess up pretty much, you know what I’m saying? So, it is what it is. I have to continue to get better, I know I have a lot of work to do, and I embrace it, with a smile on my face, so that’s where I’m at.”
Some have questioned his placement at tackle. Perhaps he’d be better off at guard, a notion that was struck down by both Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll recently. Neal agrees.
“To be honest, in my opinion, as soon as I stepped out of the womb, I stepped out an offensive tackle and that’s how I feel,” Neal said. “You asked Joe the question, he gave you his analysis on where he felt like he sees me, so there you have it.”
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