The New York Giants have added some competition to their right tackle position this offseason, signing veteran Jermaine Eluemunor to push Evan Neal for the starting job. Neal has struggled since entering the NFL as a top-10 draft pick in 2022 and it’s now time for the Giants to explore contingency plans at the position in case he is unable to turn things around in his third season.
Eluemunor will serve as a solid bridge tackle/guard on his two-year deal, however, the Giants could aim to add a more long-term solution to the position in the upcoming NFL Draft. While it is unlikely that the Giants will spend a high draft pick on the offensive line, they could add more competition to right tackle with their third-round draft pick.
The Giants could target Notre Dame RT Blake Fisher in the third round
Much of the conversation will be focused on Notre Dame left tackle Joe Alt as a potential target for the Giants in the first round. But perhaps the true conversation should center around The Fighting Irish’s right tackle prospect, Blake Fisher, as a potential target in the third round.
Fisher is a natural right tackle, so he would not need to make a positional transition at the next level like Alt. And, as a day-two draft pick, Fisher wouldn’t be expected to get on the field right away. He could be selected in the third round and take his time developing into an eventual starter for Big Blue.
The Giants hold the No. 70 overall pick in the third round of this year’s draft. Fisher ranks No. 73 on Pro Football Focus’s Big Board, making him a decent value selection for New York in Round 3.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein projects Fisher as a Rounds 2-3 selection and describes him as an “athletic tackle with the talent to gain some traction in a draft that is deep at his position.” In 2023, Fisher surrendered only 15 pressures and three sacks across 710 snaps.
What would this selection mean for Evan Neal?
Selecting a right tackle this early in the draft would put Neal on notice. It would send a clear signal to the 23-year-old that he needs to put up or shut up this season. Neal surrendered 30 pressures and two sacks in only seven games last season. He’s performed poorly and struggled with injuries in each of his first two seasons.
Neal will already face competition for his starting job from Eluemunor and could wind up being moved inside to guard this season. But if Neal were to move inside to guard, the Giants would no longer have a long-term option at right tackle. Fisher could become that option while Neal hopefully develops into a long-term starter at guard.
More must-reads: