Things were never supposed to unfold like this for former Alabama star lineman Evan Neal. Drafted in the first round by the Giants in 2022, he was pegged to be the long-term anchor opposite Andrew Thomas.
But fast forward to Week 1 of the new season, and Neal’s future in East Rutherford looks bleak. When the Giants announced their inactives for Sunday’s matchup against Washington, the shocker came through: Neal made the list. A healthy scratch. To open the year. Stunning.
Evan Neal being listed as a healthy scratch for the Giants in Week 1 comes as a real surprise. It’s a tough break for him. Over the offseason, Brian Daboll and the coaching staff shifted Neal from tackle to guard in hopes of salvaging his career. The message was clear—his future wasn’t at tackle, and a move inside might have given him the chance to finally meet expectations.
Although Neal did flash some improvement, his inconsistencies remained hard to ignore. Preseason games and practice reps only fueled fan frustration with his performance. Now, seeing him fall all the way to third-string guard is a scenario no one envisioned when he was first drafted.
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