New York Giants offensive lineman Evan Neal . Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

NY Giants Encouraged by OL Evan Neal’s Progress in Conversion to Guard

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Patricia Traina | Last updated Jun 18, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but the New York Giants are hoping that when it comes to offensive lineman Evan Neal’s conversion from tackle to guard, the process will take a lot less time than it did for the ancient Romans to build the great city.

So far, there is encouragement regarding Neal. Unlike this time last year, he’s fully healthy. And any resistance he might have initially had about converting from tackle, the position he once told reporters that he was “born to play,” has been replaced with a willingness to do whatever is asked of him.

“Yeah, he has done a nice job. He's picked up things well inside,” head coach Brian Daboll said Tuesday before the start of the team’s two-day mandatory minicamp.

“You know, training camp will be an important time of the year for him as for all though offensive linemen.”

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The challenges Neal must still overcome

Carmen Bricillo, the Giant's offensive line coach, is tasked with overseeing what is largely viewed as an attempt to salvage Neal’s career with the team after he encountered struggles to make the right tackle job his for the long term.

Bricillo has been encouraged so far by what Neal has shown him, noting that the conversion from tackle to guard isn’t something that hasn’t already been done in the league before.

However, to ensure Neal has every chance of success, they have primarily been playing him at left guard, the position he once played at the University of Alabama, in the hope that he will fall back on muscle memory at the position.

“I think so much is pre-snap training your eyes and, and getting used to what can indicate something's going to change,” Bricillo said of the biggest challenges Neal is facing in making the transition at this level.

“I think training your eyes and the reaction–just getting used to what your responses are when the picture changes.”

While the Giants might want Neal to win a job on the line, Bricillo said it’s not something they’re going to force unless he’s truly ready and has earned it.

“You gotta earn it every day, and you have to earn it every year. Nothing is assumed,” he said. “Competition is a good, healthy thing that we all firmly believe in.”