Evan Neal: From Collegiate Success to NFL Transition

Evan Neal's journey in football has been marked by significant achievements and challenges. From his standout college career at Alabama, where he earned All-SEC and All-America honors, to his transition into the NFL as a top prospect, Neal's path has been closely watched by fans and analysts alike.

Early Life and High School Career

Evan Neal was born on September 19, 2000, in Okeechobee, Florida. From childhood, Neal participated in both football and basketball, activities that helped channel his natural athleticism as he grew rapidly. During his time at IMG Academy, Neal emerged as one of the top offensive line recruits in the country. As a senior in 2018, he was selected to participate in the 2019 Under Armour All-America Game, showcasing his size and athleticism against the nation's best high school talent. Major recruiting services rated him as a five-star prospect, with 247Sports ranking him as the No. 1 offensive tackle and No. 7 overall player nationally, while ESPN listed him as the No. 2 offensive tackle.

Collegiate Career at Alabama

Neal's size and athleticism made him one of the top ten recruits in the country. He committed to the University of Alabama, where he played under head coach Nick Saban. To optimize his athleticism, Neal focused on physical conditioning upon arriving in Tuscaloosa, reducing his weight from 390 pounds to approximately 360 pounds through dietary changes and training regimens tailored by Alabama's staff. This adjustment allowed him to maintain size while improving mobility at guard.

2019 Season

He started all 13 games at right guard in 2019 and landed an SEC All-Freshman Team selection. Neal played at guard for a year in college, protecting Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones in 2019 as a freshman.

Final Collegiate Season

In his final collegiate season, Neal was voted team captain, started 15 games at left tackle, earned AP second-team All-American honors, and was recognized as a first-team All-SEC selection.

NFL Draft and Early Career with the Giants

The New York Giants selected Neal seventh overall in the first round, using a pick acquired from the Chicago Bears in a 2021 draft-day trade where the Giants had moved down from No. 11 to No. As a rookie in 2022, he started all 13 games he appeared in at right tackle, logging 737 offensive snaps. His season was cut short by an MCL sprain suffered in Week 8 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, which sidelined him for the final four regular-season games and led to him missing the Giants' postseason matchup.

2023 Season

He started the first seven games of 2023 at left tackle but suffered a season-ending concussion in Week 7. Following a week 4 2023 season loss to the Seattle Seahawks where Daniel Jones was sacked eleven times, Neal responded with "Why would a lion concern himself with the opinion of a sheep? … I genuinely don't care. Why should I? I'm in the National Football League. The person that's commenting on my performance, what does he do?

2024 Season

Transitioning to right tackle in 2024, he played in nine games with seven starts amid ongoing injury concerns.

Position Change and Future Prospects

Entering the 2025 season, Neal shifted to right guard and was a healthy scratch for the first ten games before being placed on injured reserve on November 15, 2025, with a hamstring injury, amid reports of trade discussions around the NFL trade deadline on November 4, 2025. He has not appeared in any games during the 2025 season. Heading into 2025, the Giants moved Neal to guard during the offseason in an effort to leverage his run-blocking strengths inside, a transition he embraced with additional coaching sessions; the team declined his fifth-year option for 2026 on April 26, 2025. He remained a healthy scratch for the first eight games before being activated in Week 9 due to injuries on the offensive line, but saw no game snaps.

The position change is Neal's last big chance to make an impact as a Giant, but he feels he has what it takes. "I still have an opportunity in this league and I'm grateful for that," Neal said in a story shared Tuesday by The Morning Call. "I’m just focused on getting better each year, being the player that I know I can be. I appreciate the Giants organization for continuing to believe in me and giving me an opportunity to showcase my skill set."

In his estimation, the main adjustment with the swap is timing. The NFL is a different game than college football, so changing from guard to tackle or vice versa is harder in the pros. "At tackle they talk about ‘patience, patience,’ but at guard you’ve kind of got to get on a guy right now. The fight starts a bit earlier, and just in terms of picking up blitzes and things of that nature, a lot of times it happens just a bit quicker," he said.

Head coach Brian Daboll, a former Alabama offensive coordinator, has been impressed with Neal's efforts to improve himself this offseason. According to Daboll, Neal has spent extra time with coaches to continue to hone his craft. "He's been a true pro about it," Daboll said.

Family and Personal Life

Evan Neal was raised in a highly athletic family that emphasized competition and physical activity from a young age. His family has a strong athletic heritage, particularly in football. The Neal family's extended relatives further inspired Neal's interest in football. His uncle Cleveland Gary was a former NFL running back who played for the Los Angeles Rams from 1989 to 1993 and the Miami Dolphins in 1994, after a standout college career at the University of Georgia and the University of Miami. Another uncle, Frankie Neal, was a wide receiver who played at the University of Florida and was selected in the seventh round of the 1987 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. His uncle Jimmy Gary Jr.

Community Engagement

Since 2023, Neal has hosted annual youth football camps at Okeechobee High School and other local venues, providing hands-on training and motivational guidance to hundreds of children. Neal has organized back-to-school extravaganzas in Okeechobee, distributing free school supplies, providing food, and featuring live music for families.

Read also: Mobley's Journey to the NBA

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