The New York Giants re-signed 2022 seventh-overall pick Evan Neal.
The move was… Surprising? Shocking? Stunning? Pick your favorite “S” adjective and roll with it, because it’s a move nobody expected.
I even wrote in my look at potential solutions for the Giants’ right guard problem that,
“I’m going to assume that the Giants wouldn’t be interested in Evan Neal, Josh Ezeudu, or Mekhi Becton.”
I was told every time I asked about Harbaugh and Schoen considering giving Neal a second chance that the team is moving on. And considering how the last three years went… Yeah. I could get that a fresh start would be best for everyone invovled.
And yet here we are.
So I thought I’d go back and take a look at Neal playing guard for the Giants in the 2025 pre-season and see whether there’s a realistic chance that he could actually be a solution. That might be the dream scenario for the Giants: A seventh overall pick play like it, earn a starting job and perhaps a long-term contract, and provide them with a starter from a draft class that might have just supplied four (4) starters to other teams.
But is it realistic? Let’s go to the tape.
What he does well
He is an undeniably powerful run blocker, particularly when blocking downhill. He’s a people-mover who can distort the line of scrimmage and drive defenders yards off the ball. His height works against him, as he has to work that much harder to maintain leverage against defensive tackles. But even so, he’s a strong dude.
Neal is also very quick to hit his landmarks as a pulling guard, as well as quick to work to the second level.
He still does still need to improve his hand placement in zone blocking, but he’s strong enough to still control defenders without winning the leverage battle outright.
Neal works well with his teammates, which is impressive considering his size. He never seems to interfere with his teammate’s footwork, gets hip-to-hip well and is an asset on combo blocks. He also has solid awareness and is always looking for work. His help is noticeable, and he’s strong enough that even a shove is enough to knock an otherwise occupied defender off his rush.
Neal does have good overall lateral agility for a guard and is able to mirror interior rushers when he gets his hands on them. He does a good job of keeping them in front of him and his play strength means they never really made headway into the backfield.
What he doesn’t do well
There are a couple main issues in Neal’s tape.
First and foremost, he has a real tendency to “hug” defenders when blocking laterally in zone schemes. He has a tendency to let his hands drift wide and engage with defenders’ shoulder pads instead of using his punch to access their chest plates.
He simply doesn’t have his usual ability to control and sustain the blocks, making it easier for opponents to get off them and make the tackle. It isn’t a regular thing, but certainly worth noting.
Neal’s big issues at offensive tackle came in redirection. He had a tendency to over-set to the outside against speed and be unable to get back to defend the B-gap against a quick inside move. That showed up once at guard as well.
Final thoughts
I came at this tape with fresh eyes, at least as fresh as possible.
After the third preseason game last year I thought the Giants had something with Evan Neal at right guard. Was he great? Well… No. But I also wasn’t expecting greatness from a guy who was playing the position for the first time in about six years with two games and limited practices under his belt.
However, I also didn’t see much difference between Neal and Greg Van Roten. I thought that suggested upside for Neal, all things considered. I thought the Giants would give him a chance to lose the job — after all, they still had Van Roten as a fallback option if Neal obviously couldn’t cut it in the regular season.
Instead of giving Neal even a short leash to earn their trust, he was exiled to the bench.
Now, most of a year later… I still think there’s something there.
I’m not sure Neal is the solution at right guard, but I do think he could be. At the very least, I don’t think he’s a less-likely solution than most of guard prospects in the 2026 NFL draft.
The best answer might once again be to give Neal a chance to win the job, but also have a good back-up option in place just in case he can’t. In fact, signing another veteran (like Van Roten) and drafting a guard prospect who could either develop as a future right guard — or left guard to replace Jon Runyan Jr. if Neal is the guy at right guard — might be the best course of action.
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