NY Giants OL Evan Neal Offers Self-assessment of First NFL Game at Guard

Evan Neal returned to "familiar territory" in the New York Giants' victory over the New York Jets.

New York Giants offensive lineman Evan Neal (73) on the field during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

It was a homecoming weekend in more ways than one for the New York Giants.

Big Blue's game cleats touched MetLife Stadium turf for the first time this season en route to a 31-12 preseason victory over the New York Jets. The offense featured certain familiar faces in new places, such as tenured tackle Evan Neal moving back to the inside of the offensive line at guard, where he held down the fort as the Giants (2-0) enjoyed an offensive breakout late in the game.

"I think it went pretty well," Neal said in a postgame self-assessment. "It definitely was nostalgic. It's been a while since I've been on that inside, since my freshman year in college. But, I think I played pretty solid, definitely had some areas where I left some meat on the bone, so I got to correct that, watch the film, and just continue to get better moving forward."

Moving Neal back to guard is perhaps the last chance he has to extend his metropolitan lifespan, especially after the Giants did not pick up his fifth-year option. The seventh pick of the 2022 NFL Draft had not played guard since 2019 during his freshman tour at Alabama.

After missing the opening weekend's action in Buffalo with a minor injury, Saturday marked the first gametime experiment with Neal in his new spot. Working with some starters as he spelled Greg Van Roten on the right side, Neal's night was far from perfect, but he provided some decent reps, such as closing on a high note when he provided a key block on Jaxson Dart's one-yard scoring punch in the third quarter.

The Neal project is one of several subplots on the Giants' offense, which has been one of the most pleasant surprises on the national landscape. Entering Sunday action, the Giants were the second-highest scoring team this preseason and tops in the NFC.

The progress of quarterbacks Dart and Russell Wilson has kept the good vibes rolling on an offensive line full of redemption-seekers such as Neal, Van Roten, Jermaine Eluemunor, and John Michael Schmitz.

"It's great up front. It just makes you want to block for those guys even that much harder, you know what I'm saying?" Neal said of the early offensive success. 

"They're doing a great job in the backfield, operating, getting the ball out at the right time, making great decisions. So as an offensive line, you want to be your best [for them]."

Despite a short week, the somewhat ailing Neal expressed a desire to play in the Giants' regular-season finale on Thursday against the New England Patriots (8 p.m. ET, WNBC/Amazon Prime Video), believing it'll help him stay in tune as he carries on this familiar yet brand-new journey.

"It's going to be a constant continuation," Neal said of building momentum on the line. "I plan on getting better with time. Any reps the coaches decide to give me, I'm going to make the best of those reps and just continue to get better and better and better as the season goes on."

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