Evan Neal 'chose not to run' from New York Giants past

Evan Neal 'chose not to run' from New York Giants past

When New York Giants fans hear the name Evan Neal, they immediately cringe. The 2022 first-round pick out of Alabama, who was a "can't-miss" prospect, missed badly. He was considered a classic bust.

The Giants did not exercise Neal's fifth-year option for the 2026 season, making him a free agent this spring. Surely there would be teams interested, and one would likely make the 6-foot-7, 340-pound Neal an offer to see what they could make of him.

No one thought that team would be the Giants, however. With a new head coach in town, John Harbaugh, what's old is new again. Harbaugh and his staff are cleaning the slate for all and any players whom they feel they can salvage.

Dallas Cowboys (home, away)

Washington Commanders (home, away)

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Dallas Cowboys (home, away)

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New York Giants' 2026 opponents

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New York Giants' 2026 opponents

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New York Giants' 2026 opponents

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New York Giants' 2026 opponents

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New York Giants' 2026 opponents

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New York Giants' 2026 opponents

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New York Giants' 2026 opponents

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New York Giants' 2026 opponents

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New York Giants' 2026 opponents

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New York Giants' 2026 opponents

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Neal and fellow offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu are two of those players. The Giants inked them to one-year, prove-it deals earlier this spring.

"They're motivated," Harbaugh said. "They came in the office, they sat down, and they laid out a plan and a vision for what they want to accomplish, and the type of players they want to be. They showed us what they're doing to make that happen right now. So, let's give them a shot. Let's give them an opportunity.

"They're talented. They're tough. They want to be great. They have dreams. They have big dreams. So, if they're going to dream big, I would like them to do it right here in our building and try to realize those dreams with us."

The Giants are trying to assemble an offensive line befitting Harbaugh's demeanor and vision. He favors a dominant running attack and needs a line that will win both individual battles and as a unit.

Currently, the Giants are seeking to upgrade the interior of the line and are leaving no stone unturned in the process. They recently signed two veterans, Lucas Patrick and Daniel Faalele, to one-year contracts to compete for roster spots. They are also meeting with and working out draft prospects this month as well.

Neal is attempting to remake himself after failing as a tackle and transitioning to guard. He worked under the watchful eye of former NFL center LeCharles Bentley in Cleveland for three months, working out six days a week while living in a modest hotel.

"I mean, I love Cleveland, but no one's looking to come to Cleveland in January, February, March," Bentley told the New York Post. "This isn't exactly what you would call a destination location, right? But he chose to put himself into a very uncomfortable and unfamiliar space.

"I am not one looking to appease anyone. If you want to figure it out, then we're going to have to get uncomfortable, and he made that decision. That's a decision that cannot be looked at lightly because he's a man of options."

One of Neal's goals was to get in better physical shape. He reduced his body fat percentage to 22 from 26 through a strict nutrition plan in which he mainly cooked for himself.

Bentley did the rest, working on Neal's flexibility and movement as well as resetting the mental aspect of his game.

"The fact of the matter is, the opportunity in New York spoke to him; he understood he was, for lack of a better word for it, putting his head back into the lion's mouth," Bentley said. "Perspective matters. He's not gonna win over the fan base today. He's not gonna win over the media today. But what he does understand is he has an opportunity to start afresh with an entirely new regime, to be a part of a new culture, that is a unique opportunity for a player that just spent four years with a club and now has the opportunity to rewrite the story. The fact that he chose not to run from that, it really speaks to where his mind is at. "

Neal has always been a road grader in the run game, but a statuesque disaster in pass protection. He couldn't handle the outside speed rush, and the Giants' quarterbacks paid the price.

The Giants aren't asking Neal to do that any longer. Last season, they moved him to guard, but he didn't play a single snap all season. His Giants career appeared to be over. That was then, this is now.

Big Blue has a guard spot open, and Neal is going to fight for it. If Bentley is right in his assessment, it's going to be a fun summer at Giants' camp.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Evan Neal 'chose not to run' from New York Giants past