Salvaging Evan Neal’s career is prompting the New York Giants to follow the same strategy they attempted with another draft flop, wide receiver Jalin Hyatt.
It’s a risky proposal, but the Giants have some veteran insurance behind their experiment to turn Neal, the seventh-overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, into a guard.
This dynamic has Dan Duggan of The Athletic believing “Neal’s situation seems to be setting up like wide receiver Jalin Hyatt’s last year. The Giants had an established veteran receiver in Darius Slayton, but they gave Hyatt every opportunity to win the starting job in training camp. When Hyatt failed, Slayton maintained the starting job.”
While Hyatt couldn’t supplant established wideout Darius Slayton a year ago, Neal will get his chance to unseat ageing right guard Greg Van Roten. It’s a good chance, according to Duggan, who thinks “it wouldn’t be a surprise if Neal is given the same opportunity to win the right guard job, with Van Roten serving as an insurance policy if the 2022 first-round pick isn’t up to the task.”
That makes sense since Duggan isn’t convinced the Giants will move incumbent left guard Jon Runyan Jr. “from his preferred side.”
Finding a home for Neal along the interior of the offensive line looks like the only way for the Giants to turn his ample size into something effective at the pro level. Neal making a successful conversion from right tackle could also safeguard the Giants from the not-so small risk they’re taking by leaving last season’s suspect O-line largely unchanged.
Evan Neal Can’t Waste Last Chance With Giants
Muscling his way into playing time represents Neal’s last best chance to make the grade for the Giants. The former Alabama standout proved a disaster at tackle, too stiff and too susceptible to speed-rushers on the edge, but Neal’s 6-foot-7, 340-pound frame can be an asset on the inside.
Neal has been solid enough working at guard this offseason to get “a ton of reps with the starting offense” at OTAs and minicamp, according to Duggan. One notable rep had former Giants starter Justin Pugh applauding Neal’s “feet and redirect” against the Giants’ stable of elite pass-rushers, led by this year’s third-overall pick Abdul Carter.
Pugh’s take is significant because he made the same switch from right tackle to left guard earlier in his career. A switch he endorsed to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News back in February.
Neal succeeding in the same way will depend on more consistent footwork and better overall leverage. Two things operating in a smaller space ought to give the 24-year-old.
That’s not to say shifting to guard will be easy. Neal has already been warned by Van Roten about the challenges of dealing with some of the NFL’s dominant defensive tackles.
Overcoming those challenges demands Neal stays healthy after he’s dealt with knee, ankle and rib problems since entering the pros. Neal is fighting to fend off bust status, but Hyatt’s battle is about overcoming different problems.
Giants Showing Patience With Jalin Hyatt
There’s still time for Neal to shake up a Giants O-line set to return all five of last season’s starters, despite giving up 48 sacks last season, but Hyatt will find it tougher to stay relevant at receiver.
The physical tools haven’t been his problem. No player on the roster possesses the straight-line vertical speed of Hyatt, but he’s lacked refinement as a route-runner.
Having 10-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson, one of the best practitioners of the deep ball in the NFL, throwing passes can make Hyatt a breakout candidate. Provided the 2023 third-round pick can avoid injury.
Hyatt needs to stay healthy because competition for targets is increasing in the Giants’ passing game. It’s no longer just about Slayton and last season’s rookie star Malik Nabers.
There’s also a pair of undrafted free agents who’ve been catching the eye this offseason. Their emergence means Hyatt has little margin for error.
If he can’t thrive in a more vertical air attack for the Giants, Hyatt will likely never meet expectations.
