Neal’s play since being back in the lineup makes his future with the Giants even more interesting
Don’t look now, but out of the wreckage of the New York Giants’ 2024 season a bright spot is emerging. Evan Neal, the much-maligned No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, is playing like a real, honest-to-goodness NFL right tackle.
Neal had a miserable, injury-plagued first two seasons with the Giants. Fans have labeled the former Alabama star a “bust,” when they haven’t been calling him far worse things.
The Giants, though, still planned to have Neal be the starting right tackle this season. That was derailed by the 6-foot-7, 350-pound Neal’s slow recovery from ankle surgery.
Neal did not play a single snap the first seven weeks, and played only two total snaps over the first nine weeks. When the Giants got tired of watching Josh Ezeudu and Chris Hubbard fail miserably at playing left tackle in place of the injured Andrew Thomas, they finally turned back to Neal.
Jermaine Eluemunor, against his wishes, went to left tackle. Neal moved back in at right tackle.
Overall, Pro Football Focus has Neal as the Giants’ third-highest graded offensive lineman. His 67.4 overall score is a career-best by 26 points and behind only Thomas (75.4) and Greg Van Roten (68.7) this season.
Neal’s 96.8 efficiency score over 244 pass-blocking snaps is also a career-best. That is 33rd out of 85 qualifying offensive tackles. His 86.8 run-blocking grade is a career-best by 35 points and fourth-best in the NFL out of those 85 qualifying offensive tackles. Neal’s pass-blocking grade is only a mediocre 52.9, but that is still far better than than the 42.3 and 38.5 pass-blocking scores he posted his first two seasons.
“I feel like I’ve done pretty good since I’ve been back,” Neal told BBV on Thursday. “Still more meat on the bone. Still a lot to get better at. Just been chipping away, but overall I’m pretty pleased.”
Neal knows his pass protection is still a work in progress.
“I can say I’ve gotten better,” he said. “I still obviously have more work to do. It hasn’t been perfect, but I have been taking steps in the right direction.”
Neal said he always knew he could play this way.
“I feel like what I’ve been doing since I’ve been back is pretty much being the player that I always knew that I am,” Neal said. “It’s just the progression. I plan on going out and just getting better week to week.”
Like a lot of things with the Giants, Neal’s future with the team beyond this season is in doubt. Is a tackle? A guard? A bench player? A starter? A trade piece?
His play in recent weeks is giving whoever is making that decision something to think about.
