The New York Giants wasted no time sending a clear message after the 2025 NFL Draft. Just hours after wrapping up one of their most aggressive draft weekends in recent memory, the Giants made it official: Evan Neal’s fifth-year option would not be picked up. The timing wasn’t random — it was a statement that the Giants are moving on.
For Giants fans, it hit with the weight of three years’ worth of frustration. Neal was supposed to be a pillar on the offensive line, a can’t-miss franchise tackle. Instead, injuries, missed assignments, and stagnant development turned him into a glaring weak spot. Declining his option wasn’t just a formality. It was closure.
And it might not be a coincidence that shortly after Marcus Mbow’s post-draft comments about his on-field mentality surfaced, Joe Schoen made the call everyone saw coming. Fresh off being drafted, Mbow made it clear he’s not coming to New York to fit in—he’s coming with business decisions. After hearing that? Schoen may have realized he already found the mindset he’s been missing.
Marcus Mbow gave Joe Schoen the green light to decline Evan Neal’s fifth-year option
The New York Giants just kept stacking wins during the 2025 NFL Draft. Seriously, after every pick it was like, “Man, that was a smart move.” And what do you know? Even deep into Day 3, Schoen and Co. were still finding major value.
After opening the draft by landing Abdul Carter, Jaxson Dart, and Darius Alexander, the Giants kept the momentum rolling on Saturday. They kicked off the day by snagging Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo, a spark plug who should quickly become a fan favorite behind Tyrone Tracy Jr. But they weren’t even close to finished reshaping the roster.
With the No. 154 overall pick, the G-Men stole Purdue offensive lineman Mbow—a player most scouts had pegged as a third- or early fourth-rounder. It’s the kind of move that can quietly transform the trajectory of a rebuild.
He wasted no time making a first impression either. Fresh off being drafted, he summed up his mindset in one simple (and electric) quote:
“Putting people on the ground, demoralizing people … It’s always fun. It’s definitely part of the reason I love the game.”
At 6-foot-4 and 303 pounds, Mbow brings the kind of versatility that coaches dream about. He projects best at guard in the NFL, but he’s spent time working at center and tackle too, and genuinely believes he can play all five positions up front. His quickness, leverage, and hand violence jump off the tape.
The Giants intend to give Neal a final chance to reinvent himself at guard this season, but with Mbow now in the fold, that leash feels even shorter. Mbow isn’t showing up to New York looking to blend in—he’s looking to take someone’s job... likely Neal's job. His movement skills, field vision, and high-level motor make him a serious threat to steal reps sooner rather than later.
It’s also obvious that Mbow expected his name to be called much earlier. He even hosted a draft party on Friday night, thinking he would hear his name on Day 2. Instead, the Giants waited patiently and landed a motivated, battle-tested prospect ready to prove every team that passed on him wrong. That’s a dangerous combination.
In a draft where Schoen checked practically every box, Marcus Mbow already feels like one of his savviest—and potentially most important—moves yet.
