Giants offensive lineman Evan Neal simply hasn’t lived up to first-round billing since being selected seventh overall in 2022, and this truth was predictably reaffirmed by the team on Saturday.
Neal is expected to wear a different uniform in 2026, as general manager Joe Schoen revealed after the NFL Draft that they won’t exercise the fifth-year option in his rookie contract. The move comes as no surprise, as the 6-foot-7, 340-pound right tackle enters the 2025 season as a consensus bust.
While he played as a three-year starter for Alabama, the transition to the NFL wasn’t the least bit smooth for Neal. He’s struggled mightily in protection, and injuries have hampered any hopes of progress. In just nine games last season, Neal allowed two sacks and 17 total pressures on 314 pass-blocking snaps. He also committed six penalties.
There’s a chance that Neal moves to right guard this spring, but competition for work with the first-string offense exists. The Giants re-signed Greg Van Roten this offseason, and drafted Purdue guard Marcus Mbow in the fifth round on Saturday. Neal isn’t even a lock to make the 53-man roster once training camp breaks this summer.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll didn’t confirm Neal’s transition to guard following the team’s announcement, but he did say that the 24-year-old will have “flexibility” in the meantime.
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