2022 was not the rookie year that many had expected from New York Giants right tackle Evan Neal.
But Year 2 promises to be different, with Neal more comfortable in his skin at the position after a rigorous offseason workout regimen.
In fact, CBS Sports has identified Neal as one of their “under-the-radar players for each NFC team who can be stars in 2023.”
The Giants are counting on Neal to be the right tackle they drafted at No. 7 overall this season. Neal has plenty of talent, but he struggled in his rookie season — allowing eight sacks, 10 quarterback hits, 37 pressures and an 8.7% pressure rate.
With a year under his belt, Neal has an opportunity to take the Giants to the next level. A good sophomore season could get the Giants back to the divisional round of the playoffs, providing excellent expectations for the offensive line going forward.
The team had similar issues with their other tackle, Andrew Thomas, who was the fourth overall selection in the 2020 NFL draft. Thomas struggled early on but then the game slowed for him to the degree where he’s now one of the top at his position in the entire league and was named as second-team All-Pro last year.
The Giants now envision having star ‘bookend’ tackles in Neal and Thomas. Combine that with the addition of stud center John Michael Schmitz and they may have their best offensive line in over a decade.
