Chopping wood and getting better every day
One of the major storylines for the New York Giants is the transition of Evan Neal from offensive tackle to guard.
As fans well know, the Giants initially drafted Neal out of Alabama with the seventh pick of the 2022 NFL Draft in the hopes that he would be a long-time bookend for Andrew Thomas. Unfortunately, that plan hasn’t worked out. Now, entering his fourth season, Neal is transitioning inside to guard and trying to take a starting job from veteran Greg Van Roten.
“I’m just focused on playing football,” Neal said of his move inside. “I still have an opportunity in this league and I’m grateful for that.”
There has been some speculation that Neal resisted a move inside to a less glamorous guard position, but he insists that was never a consideration.
“The acceptance part of it, that really was never in my head because at the end of the day I’m just grateful to still be able to play the game that I love,” Neal said.
He’s confident, not only in himself, but in his linemates. “My confidence is great,” Neal said. “I’m just out there playing football. As hot as it is out here in camp, we’re grinding, getting after it, trying to get better every day.”
‘Getting better’ was a major theme of Neal’s remarks. Not only did he mention that the offensive line is focused on getting better, but also that steady improvement is a major focus for him. That, obviously, makes sense. After all, Neal’s development thus far has been consistently interrupted by injuries.
“So far, I’ve just been a player that’s been getting better and better each year,” Neal said. “Injuries have played a part. I’ve had to battle through those. I feel like I’ve shown grit and resiliency to still be standing here today. I’m just going to focus on continuing to get better in the future.”
Head coach Brian Daboll agreed, saying,
“I think Evan steadily improved playing inside. Things happen a little quicker in there. He’s a big
man so he’s done a nice job on his double teams and getting movement and it was good to see him out there in one-on-ones at the guard spot. (We) look for him to continue to improve.”
Daboll also praised Neal’s team first attitude in his transition from tackle to guard.
He said, “He was all for the team. Evan’s done a nice job this spring and he’s making daily improvements.”
“Yeah, I each guy is their own individual case,” he added, referencing Ereck Flowers and Mekhi Becton.
“They do what’s best for the team and like I said, Evan’s embraced it. He’s been a true pro about it, spends extra time with the line coaches, does extra work, so he’s really put a lot of time and effort and energy into it and it’ll be good to see how it looks in the preseason when we can finish blocks and do those types of – the next step.”
Neal is probably the healthiest he’s been in a while. He first suffered a high ankle sprain part way through the 2023 season and played on that for several weeks until he was finally placed on the IR. He had surgery to repair the injury, but then suffered a setback a year ago which cost him the first half of the 2024 season.
This year, he’s gone back to work on his body, concentrating on both rehab and improving himself.
“I just worked hard,” he said. “I went back to IMG Academy. They have a great staff there.They have strength and conditioning, rehab, rehabilitation, focused a lot on cardio. Just getting my heart rate up, putting myself in challenging situations. I think it’s paying off pretty good for me.
“I’m just focused on getting better each year. Being the player that I know I can be. I appreciate the Giants organization for continuing to believe in me and giving me an opportunity to showcase my skill set. I’m focused on getting better every single day.”
There are, of course, practical considerations for changing positions.
Neal did admit that his height (6-foot-7) didn’t offer any advantages on the inside. He also directed questions as to whether he disrupted sight lines for Russell Wilson. Neal did affirm that the diminutive (for the NFL) quarterback hasn’t beaned anyone in the back of the head… yet.
He does, however, believe that his size, strength, and athleticism translate well to the interior.
“I think my skill set as an offensive lineman just helps me,” Neal said. “I’m a big guy, I take up a lot of space. I’m athletic. When I get my hands on guys, a lot of times I can pretty much shut the rep down in the run game. I’m explosive and I carry a lot of mass; when I make contact at the point of attack I get guys moving backwards.”
His power and quickness in tight spaces certainly seems to stand out on the practice field.
Carter vs Neal
Does Evan Neal look competent at guard here or am I hallucinating?!
— GiantsDaily (@giantsdaily.bsky.social) 2025-07-29T16:51:36.185Z
From a technical perspective, there are obviously some differences between interior play and dealing with defenders off the edge. The most notable, for Neal, is the speed of the game on the inside.
“A three technique is closer than a five technique off the edge would be,” he said. “At tackle, they talk about patience. But at guard, you’ve got to get on the [defensive tackle] right now. The fight starts a bit earlier. In terms of picking up blitzes and things of that nature, a lot of times it happens just a bit quicker.”
Neal has been getting reps at both left and right guard. Notably, he’s been playing right guard with the starters, and left guard with the backups. Not only does that tell us that he’s in a true competition with Greg Van Roten for right guard, but also that the Giants want him to have some experience at left guard — just in case.
Neal does seem to be more comfortable on the right side, which makes sense given his experience at right tackle. However, he’s capable of playing the left side, even if it isn’t as natural.
“Just the fact of the matter of the playbook,” he said. “Just making sure I don’t get crossed up. Sometimes I can line up on the left side, but mentally I can process a play as a right sided player. Constantly having to be locked in schematically to what we’re trying to achieve.”
Overall, Neal is feeling good about his progress as well as that of the line as a whole.
“I think we’re meshing great,” he said.
“We’re going out there and we’re busting our ass every day. We’re rallying alongside one another when it gets tough. That’s always exciting to see because when the offensive line is coming together up front, that’s a great indication of a good performance on offense.”