The New York Giants are giving Evan Neal one final chance to turn his career around.
When the Giants drafted Neal seventh overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, they were hoping to land a franchise, bookend right tackle. Unfortunately, through the first three seasons of his career, Neal has missed expectations by a wide margin.
Entering the fourth season of his career, and the final season of his rookie contract, the Giants are having Neal make a crucial transition that could save his career and buy him more time in the Big Apple.
Evan Neal practiced at guard for the start of the Giants’ OTAs
According to Jordan Raanan of ESPN, Neal practiced at left guard during Wednesday morning’s practice, the second official day of the Giants’ OTAs.
Neal was the second-team left guard, returning to a position he played many years ago in college.
The Giants have been planning Neal’s transition from tackle to the interior for months.
Many assumed he would slot in at right guard because the Giants are weak at that position, however, Neal doesn’t have any prior experience at right guard.
Neal has prior experience playing left guard
As a freshman at Alabama in 2019, Neal started 13 games for the Crimson Tide at left guard. He transitioned to right tackle as a sophomore, then to left tackle as a junior, then back to right tackle at the NFL level.
In 2024, Neal played a career-low 459 total snaps, appearing in only nine games with seven starts. He was a healthy scratch in many of the Giants’ games last season, but also dealt with injuries, as he has in every season.
Neal did begin to show signs of progress last season, though. He posted a career-high 61.2 overall Pro Football Focus grade with a solid 80.8 run-blocking grade. His struggles in pass protection persisted, though, as he posted a 49.6 pass-blocking grade with 17 pressures and two sacks surrendered.
Frequently, Neal gets beaten with speed and agility off the edge. Moving inside to guard could help mask this weakness and allow Neal to utilize his strength and power as a run blocker.
Perhaps it is not too late for Neal to turn things around. He will start the summer as the Giants’ backup left guard, but with injuries being so common on the offensive line, Neal could find an opportunity to prove himself this season.
