New York Giants offensive tackle Evan Neal was one of the worst players at his position in football. The No. 7 pick of the 2022 NFL draft ranked 80th out of 81 qualified OTs in PFF grades this season. Despite saying he was born to play tackle, his veteran teammate, Justin Pugh, who once switched from tackle to guard suggests Neal at least tries to do the same to salvage his career.
“Moving me to right tackle out of left tackle from college, I was swimming out there. My technique was off. I didn’t feel comfortable. Not until I went back to left guard did I finally feel comfortable again in the NFL,” Pugh shared on The Talkin’ Ball with Pat Leonard podcast about his experience as the No. 19 overall pick by the Giants in the 2013 NFL Draft.
“The next question is going to go to … what do we to do about Evan Neal,” Pugh continued, asking his own follow-up question. “I wouldn’t be surprised if [the Giants] worked him out at right tackle and at left guard. He may feel more natural at left guard. I made that transition. And I know Evan’s talked about playing that — coming out of the womb as a tackle and playing that position but at the end of the day, playing football in the NFL as an offensive lineman and getting paid to play football, that’s what he was put on earth to do.
Evan Neal played left tackle at Alabama, just like Justin Pugh played left tackle at Syracuse before coming into the league and switching to guard. So, Pugh knows well how a shift back to the left side at guard can resurrect a busted career.
However, Neal playing better next season is just one step toward his own redemption with Giants fans. He also needs some good PR after verbally attacking New York fans — who he said “flip hamburgers and hot dogs” for a living — for booing him.
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