New York Giants 2024 Draft Preview: Best Offensive Tackle Fits

Offensive tackle is still very much a Giants need.

Author:
Patricia Traina
Publish date:
Apr 24, 2024

In this story:

new york giants

nfl draft

evan neal

joe alt

Every year for the last decade or so, it seems like the New York Giants have tried to fix their offensive line only to come up short in the task.

There are several reasons for this. One is a lack of consistency in drafting. If the Giants haven’t whiffed on premium picks (Day 1 or Day 2), they’ve gambled on Day 3 picks that never materialized.

Part of that is the coaching, and that’s a big reason that prompted head coach Brian Daboll to make a change, firing Bobby Johnson after two seasons and replacing him with Carmen Bricillo, who got the most out of a Las Vegas Raiders offensive line during his two seasons with the Silver and Black.

The Giants are hoping Bricillo can work some magic this year with young offensive linemen like Evan Neal, the seventh overall pick in the 2022 draft who has struggled thus far at right tackle, center John Michael Schmitz, last year’s second-round draft pick who showed promise but who needs to show more consistency; and 2022 draft picks Joshua Ezeudu (third round) and Marcus McKethan (fifth round), both of whom have also struggled with consistency when not dealing with injury issues.

But let’s stick with offensive tackle for the time being. Neal’s lack of development is a major concern. He’s yet to look remotely comfortable at right tackle (raising the question of whether he’d be a better fit at left guard).

Unless he finally turns the corner and shows he can be a serviceable tackle, he’s headed toward claiming the crown for general manager Joe Schoen’s first significant draft bust in his short tenure in charge of the roster.

On the other side, the Giants saw what life without stud left tackle Andrew Thomas was like when he dealt with a lingering hamstring issue last season, and it wasn’t pretty at all. New York did try to solidify the position with its signing of former Raiders offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor, who signed for two years and a player who gives them guard/tackle flexibility, and former Lions offensive lineman Matt Nelson, who signed for one year to compete with Yodny Cajuste and Joshua Miles for a roster spot.

Someone from the Nelson-Cajuste-Miles trio might emerge as a solid swing tackle worthy of more than just a one-year stint. However, given the physical wear and tear offensive linemen face, adding a developmental prospect to the mix might not be such a bad idea.

Was Evan Neal really born to play tackle?

Neal told reporters that last year, and Schoen continues to insist that is the case. It’s also fair to assume (dangerous, we know) that Bricillo likely views Neal as a tackle as a salvageable prospect. However, it should not be surprising if he starts cross-training the former Alabama offensive lineman at guard.

Neal has the ideal size and tools to play tackle at this level, but the issues have come with the inconsistency in his technique and approach. There have also been balance issues that have seen Neal play at times too top-heavy, which makes him struggle with his anchor.

And the injuries—he had a season-ending ankle ailment last year after returning from an injury to his other ankle—haven’t helped either. Neal needs to get healthy, stay healthy, and play with more patience and attention to detail.

If he can’t, the organization could try him at guard, as Bricillo has a history of cross-training offensive linemen who aren’t necessarily considered top-tier at their position.

But if that doesn’t work out, it will be a significant blow to the Giants, who have been counting on Thomas and Neal as their book-end tackles for years.

Other Draft Position Previews

undefined — Notre Dame offensive linemen Joe Alt (76)

Greg Swiercz / USA TODAY NETWORK

Prospects

Day 1: Joe Alt (Notre Dame)

Alt, who some have compared to former Cleveland Browns great Joe Thomas (one of his idols, by the way), will likely be the first tackle and first offensive lineman off the board in the 2024 Draft.

And for good reason. The Notre Dame left tackle is tall, long, athletic, and technically polished coming out of college. He has every tool that scouts and coaches look for in a Day 1 starter at offensive tackle, with smooth, easy footwork and good hand usage.

He’s one of the best pass-protecting tackles to come out of college in years and is also a capable run blocker. Some may have issues with Alt’s lack of aggression as a blocker, as he’s more technician than mauler.

Likewise, he can tend to let his chest get out over his toes, and when he loses leverage, his height (nearly 6-foot-9) can be a liability. However, he’s a good enough athlete, so those instances don’t happen often. Alt currently projects to the Titans, who pick at No. 7 (after the Giants).

Day 2: Tyler Guyton (Oklahoma)

Guyton is yet another tackle with prototypical traits in a draft class chock full of them. Guyton is athletic, 6-foot-8, 322 pounds, with 34-inch arms and 10 ¼ inch hands. He has great feet and movement skills to go with his size and length and should develop into a strong and dependable pass protector at the NFL level.

Guyton is a bit high-cut and can get upright in his play, leading to a loss of leverage as a run blocker. As with many tall tackles, losing a bit of leverage is compounded by their height, and maintaining a good knee bend and hip level is much more important. Guyton has the traits to keep improving there and has a good chance to become a long-term starter for a team.

Late Day 2/Early Day 3: Blake Fisher (Notre Dame)

Often lost in the shadow of Joe Alt, Notre Dame’s right tackle has the chance to be a good NFL player as well.

Fisher has a solid physique for an NFL tackle at 6-foot-6, 310 pounds with 34 ⅜ inch arms. He is much more of a power player than his teammate Alt and will be at home on a team that relies on a downhill running game and man-gap blocking schemes.

Fisher can knock defenders off the ball when his punch lands, and he uncoils his hips to drive them back. However, he can also be late off the ball or struggle to keep up with speed off the edge.

He has the traits to develop into a starting tackle at the NFL level, but he shouldn’t be asked to start immediately upon being drafted.