Giants' Evan Neal is poised to put rookie-season struggles behind him

Second-year right tackle Evan Neal's development is one of the key storylines of Giants training camp, and whether he makes the leap will greatly impact New York's success this season. 

At one point, Neal, the seventh overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, was in consideration for being the top player in his class coming out of Alabama. However, the 22-year-old endured a disastrous rookie year, which included a midseason Grade 2 MCL sprain that sidelined him for four games.

When he was on the field, Neal struggled mightily, finishing as Pro Football Focus' 80th-highest-rated tackle among 81 qualified players.

Although he surrendered seven sacks and 52 pressures, the third-most by a tackle in 2022, Neal told reporters before Friday's practice that he's heading into his second season confident and motivated to continue improving.

"I feel very comfortable," Neal said. "I felt great out there the past two days. Just going to use the rest of camp to continue to hone in on those skills, just make small improvements every day. I feel like I am never going to be a finished product. I will take each day to get better and better."

One of the steps Neal took to enhance his game this offseason was hiring a personal chef, which helped him slim down and put on more muscle. The 6-foot-7 tackle says he weighed 353 pounds at the end of last season and reported to training camp at 345 pounds.

“I was just a lot more conscious about my diet,” Neal said, via the New York Post. “It was really helpful in terms of what I was putting in my body, just having meals there for me so I didn’t have to think about eating.”

Aside from cutting weight, Neal spent the offseason improving his technique under the guidance of Cincinnati Bengals great Willie Anderson.

The three-time first-team All-Pro told ESPN his first impression of Neal, who was the Crimson Tide’s blindside protector in his final season at Alabama, was “a left tackle trying to figure out playing right tackle.” But after mentoring Neal, Anderson believes the results of their training "will take shape this year.”

Despite Neal's rookie troubles, the Giants still had the fourth-best rushing offense a season ago (2,519 yards). If his efforts this offseason prove to be the catalyst for getting his career on track, New York has the potential to repeat its dominance on the ground in 2023.

And if such a scenario transpires, perhaps Neal can assist running back Saquon Barkley in securing his long-sought lucrative multiyear extension in the process.