Home / Sports / Giants' Rookie Tackle Evan Neal Stumbles in Guard Conversion
Giants' Rookie Tackle Evan Neal Stumbles in Guard Conversion
24 Aug
Summary
- Evan Neal, 7th overall pick, struggled to transition from tackle to guard
- Suffered injuries that limited his preseason reps, impacting his development
- Showed poor footwork and pass blocking, ranking low among Giants' offensive linemen
As the New York Giants began their 2025 spring training, they had high hopes for their 2022 first-round draft pick, Evan Neal. The plan was to convert the former Alabama offensive tackle to guard, but that transition has not gone as smoothly as the team had hoped.
Last summer, Neal's surgically repaired ankle kept him out of most of the spring and training camp, delaying the position change. While he was able to get on the field this summer, Neal ended up missing the first preseason game due to a new injury. This limited the team's ability to get him as many live reps as possible to work on the transition.
The results have been disappointing. Neal has struggled with his footwork, particularly in pass blocking, where he has often guessed the wrong direction and been beaten by quick moves. His pass-blocking grade of 49 ranked 12th out of 15 Giants offensive linemen, and he allowed the third-most pressures on the team. Even in his strength of run blocking, Neal's 47.1 grade put him last among the Giants' linemen.
The Giants now face a difficult decision with their former first-round pick, who is in the final year of his rookie contract. While it seems unlikely the team will give up on him this year, the question remains: what to do with Evan Neal going forward?
