SCHOEN: Evan got off to a really good camp, had a concussion, missed a couple of weeks, came back, and needs to play better. Evan needs to play better. He knows that. Look forward to getting him back here when he’s healthy, but I think he’d admit there’s some things that he can do better, and we look forward to him continuing to improve...
No, I don’t think so (moving him to guard). I went back and watched the Alabama stuff; the kid can play. We just got to get him to be more consistent. Like I’ve got a lot of confidence in Evan, he’s a hard worker, it’s killing him right now to be out there. He’s missing some valuable reps in year two, but as soon as he’s healthy, he’s scratching and clawing to get back. We are looking forward to getting him back there, but he knows there is some things he can do better and that’s what we expect from him. |
Am I reading too much into this in suggesting that Schoen may think coaching is part of the issue here?
Coaching aside, Schoen sounds like me in "defending" Neal... i.e. how the training camp injury set him back, what he looked like in college, etc. And this is coming from a guy (me) who was arguing against a RT in round one a year ago. Neal didn't look like this in college.
Neal looks like he should be an all-pro RT and has the college tape to back it up.
To me, this rang of Schoen having insecurity about the pick to try to feel better about a potentially colossal mistake.
The counter argument is he may be a good athlete, but not in the areas a tackle needs to be athletic. I think this is what Sy alludes to in his reviews.
What has me confused is again, we're not talking about a crap conference. He played against NFL caliber defensive linemen and linebackers in the SEC. He was a rock out there at LT, RT, and OG. It's why many pundits had him going #1 at one point.
In fact, I wish Jerry would have chimed in a bit more. He also touched on how the beat writers piled onto the Wink news after the Glazer report, by reporting on potential causes to the rift.
To me, this rang of Schoen having insecurity about the pick to try to feel better about a potentially colossal mistake.
bw in dc... I don't recall anyone saying that Evan Neal should not go top 5.
Here is Sy's review (as the #1 OT):
1: Evan Neal – Alabama – 6’7/337
Grade: 87
Summary: Junior entry from Okeechobee, Florida. Three-year starter at three different positions (LG, RT, LT). A 2019 Freshman All American that ended his career as a 2nd Team All American and 1st Team All SEC honoree. Neal, a team captain, is lauded by both the on-field coaches and support staff inside the walls. His attention to detail, intelligence, and work ethic have helped him deliver on his 5-star recruit profile out of high school. The fact he started right away as a true freshman for Nick Saban along the offensive line, a rarity, and progressed each season of his 3-year career while playing 3 different positions speaks volumes about his mental game. The obvious with Neal is the elite physical tools. His size is second to none, his power comes easy and natural, and the explosion within his blocking can put him in a rare tier of offensive line prospects. He did struggle with consistency throughout his career, as he showed low body awareness in several situations. He often oversets, leading to balance and control issues. Defenders were able to shake him off too many times. Neal’s upside is as high as it gets but the constant new-position he dealt with every year may have thrown off some important development. That versatility may help his outlook to some teams but once he is drafted, his true value will come when he settles into a position. Neal can eventually be one of the best linemen in the game.
*Prior to the start of the year, I had nearly no-doubt Neal was going to finish in the 90+ tier. But this is where you have to toss pre-conceived notions out the window when watching the tape. The truth is, Neal did not take a step forward. There are shortcomings within his skill set that arose weekly. The positive? These are all very correctable issues, and we see them corrected all the time. He has some of the same issues that Tristan Wirfs did coming out of Iowa in 2020. Wirfs was my OT1 in that class with a similar grade and is now an All-Pro. Neal can get on that path just as quickly, but I think he needs to settle into a position and remain there for a couple years. That hasn’t been the case since he was a high schooler. NYG would be an ideal destination for him. Insert him into the RT spot week 1 and they could have a top tier OT pair within a year or two. I would be excited to get this kid in blue.
Maybe he can make the switch to guard and be successful as William Roberts was eons ago.
Maybe he can make the switch to guard and be successful as William Roberts was eons ago.
The GM just said no to that.
To me, this rang of Schoen having insecurity about the pick to try to feel better about a potentially colossal mistake.
Bingo
He said he wasn't as high on Neal coming out because he lacked the killer instinct that's present in all of the great O-Lineman. In that draft class, he was highest on Tyler Smith. I followed that up with "Sy really didn't like Tyler Smith, what made you like him?" He said his technique was horrible, but he was nasty and an extreme competitor. He thought that a good coach would be able to teach him technique, but you can't teach the want to.
I'm trying to understand why Schoen said what you referenced. Which is indeed a good observation.
Well, except for the crowd that thinks these pressers tell us nothing... ;)
His issue is just consistency in his technique. He needs reps, and that's the worst thing about this latest injury. I still believe he'll be at worst a passable right tackle in the NFL. I've seen enough of his play this year to see that he can be that. I'd argue that prior to his latest injury, he was that from week 4 on. Still needs improvement, but he showed growth from the early season struggles in weeks 1-3 to weeks 4 and later.
Maybe he can make the switch to guard and be successful as William Roberts was eons ago.
Exactly what I see. This is William Roberts all over again (not exactly of course, but somewhat similar).
Maybe he can make the switch to guard and be successful as William Roberts was eons ago.
It's a BBI myth that Neal has slow feet. He has good tackle feet. It's his balance and technique (and they are related) that has been his issues. But he has shown plenty of reps of getting to his spot and making great blocks against speed outside. If you have slow feet, that's not happening very often.
Really hard not to see a change at OL coach though.
I actually thought his most telling comment was discussing Jones and highlighting the SF game without AT and SB.
In fact, I wish Jerry would have chimed in a bit more. He also touched on how the beat writers piled onto the Wink news after the Glazer report, by reporting on potential causes to the rift.
I heard that, too. It sounded like Biz said Wink does some old school stuff like having meetings run late, hanging out, and the players kind of groan about it….not sure if that’s what he meant or I misheard.
He said he wasn't as high on Neal coming out because he lacked the killer instinct that's present in all of the great O-Lineman. In that draft class, he was highest on Tyler Smith. I followed that up with "Sy really didn't like Tyler Smith, what made you like him?" He said his technique was horrible, but he was nasty and an extreme competitor. He thought that a good coach would be able to teach him technique, but you can't teach the want to.
There could be something to that. Isn’t it a common story of a guy being railroaded into football because of their size, but don’t have a passion for the game and can bust in the pros? Still hoping it’s just coaching though. His outburst to fan criticism was immature but at least shows some pride/desire, but dunno.
There was plenty of ugly tape on Ereck Flowers. And that was pointed out before the draft. I didn't hear those comments with Neal.
To me, when I watch him, he looks like he is thinking way too much and lacks confidence in whatever technique he is being asked to utilize in pass sets.
I'd love if someone could look at what he was sked to do at Bama vs Giants and see the differences are.
Obviously they are on step 2- what has caused the decline and lack of development. Is it coaching? Did he get paid and stop working?
The potential is there and he has all the tools so what is the miss?
There was plenty of ugly tape on Ereck Flowers. And that was pointed out before the draft. I didn't hear those comments with Neal.
Sy has said his issues on his college tape were very correctable. Reading between the lines, Bobby Johnson is being thrown under the bus and more than likely out
At one point early in draft process he was getting listed as overall #1 pick which was too optimistic. Neal got beat often in the SEC but with his pedigree, size and the 'Bama reputation his draft stock held well enough to be a Top 10 pick.
Neal has got to get better. His lack of development killed our season.
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indicate to me he is ill suited to be a tackle at the NFL level.
Maybe he can make the switch to guard and be successful as William Roberts was eons ago.
It's a BBI myth that Neal has slow feet. He has good tackle feet. It's his balance and technique (and they are related) that has been his issues. But he has shown plenty of reps of getting to his spot and making great blocks against speed outside. If you have slow feet, that's not happening very often.
He's too slow in pass protection.
At one point early in draft process he was getting listed as overall #1 pick which was too optimistic. Neal got beat often in the SEC but with his pedigree, size and the 'Bama reputation his draft stock held well enough to be a Top 10 pick.
Neal has got to get better. His lack of development killed our season.
He was a major reason why the season went downhill, but so were both guard spots. At one point, we had an OL out there that had something like 10 NFL starts between all five players.
Schoen's comments notwithstanding, I think the Giants will eventually move him to guard at some point after this season.
At one point early in draft process he was getting listed as overall #1 pick which was too optimistic. Neal got beat often in the SEC but with his pedigree, size and the 'Bama reputation his draft stock held well enough to be a Top 10 pick.
Neal has got to get better. His lack of development killed our season.
This is definitely an overstatement. The bigger problem with the OL was the missed games with Thomas, which resulted in terrible LT play in those games, and that did result in the first DJ injury. And the biggest problem on this OL has been the poor OG play, at both spots. Bredeson has been worse than Neal, so has McKethan. Neal's play has been the third worst issue with the line out of these factors.
And again, he improved over the course of the season. Not to where we'd like him to be yet, but he was playing what I would term as average-level tackle play since week 4. Which is better than terrible. He still has time, hopefully he will be back on the field to get some much-needed reps sooner rather than later.
He looks like a different dude - completely different. If he were in this draft class coming up and I was using the college tape again - it would be Neal in the discussion for OT1 (and there are two really good ones here)
The balance problem was worrisome - but it got worse, not better. His technique and bend are so different, too.
He looks like a different dude - completely different. If he were in this draft class coming up and I was using the college tape again - it would be Neal in the discussion for OT1 (and there are two really good ones here)
The balance problem was worrisome - but it got worse, not better. His technique and bend are so different, too.
So what the heck is going on?
Sounds like you and Schoen had the same thought and simply take another look.
I kind of took it as him trying to improve on his player evaluation skills. Neal has been struggling, maybe he missed something in the eval to look for in the future? Just my opinion.
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of him because of it. He had good QB play at Alabama and they masked some of those sins. He has to speed up out of his stance...a lot.
At one point early in draft process he was getting listed as overall #1 pick which was too optimistic. Neal got beat often in the SEC but with his pedigree, size and the 'Bama reputation his draft stock held well enough to be a Top 10 pick.
Neal has got to get better. His lack of development killed our season.
He was a major reason why the season went downhill, but so were both guard spots. At one point, we had an OL out there that had something like 10 NFL starts between all five players.
It was a bit shocking to see how unprepared the OL was for the season. The season was over before it started mostly because of them. Put aside the Thomas injury for a second, they have been an NFL joke.
Not sure what the hell this coaching staff is doing in getting them prepared because they aren't.
His injuries are handcuffing the FO in improving this roster.
He touches on the injuries, but that's not the point.
This is as clear an indication as any, to me, that we are making a change at OL coach. You give up on your position coach sooner than you do your blue-chip, top-10 pick's career as a tackle.
“Who can we bring in that can maybe help us win a couple of games while Daniel gets healthy, or maybe Daniel will be ready Week 1.”
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I went back and watched Neal tape from Alabama a few weeks ago
He looks like a different dude - completely different. If he were in this draft class coming up and I was using the college tape again - it would be Neal in the discussion for OT1 (and there are two really good ones here)
The balance problem was worrisome - but it got worse, not better. His technique and bend are so different, too.
So what the heck is going on?
Sounds like you and Schoen had the same thought and simply take another look.
I think there is a psychology component here that will go deeper than us watching tape. Neal is tripping trying to tie his shoes. I think he had some early struggles and did not respond to adversity like a player needs to.
Don't think there's much else to read into this.
“Who can we bring in that can maybe help us win a couple of games while Daniel gets healthy, or maybe Daniel will be ready Week 1.”
Yet that is offset by him later saying they would consider taking a QB in the first round. You don't take a QB in the first round for insurance purposes.
He looks like a different dude - completely different. If he were in this draft class coming up and I was using the college tape again - it would be Neal in the discussion for OT1 (and there are two really good ones here)
The balance problem was worrisome - but it got worse, not better. His technique and bend are so different, too.
Agreed. Had enough good high-profiled games in the SEC, and with his size, to project into first half of Rd 1 and then progress from there.
Now he seems like a guy who plays like an early Day 3 pick who has a lot to development ahead of him.
Don't think there's much else to read into this.
I don't know. Seems like what Sy is saying... there is a disconnect/change between him at Alabama and him in the NFL.
The only thing I can point to is coaching, I'm not thrilled with Bobby Thompson and as much as we got excited over him working out with Willie Anderson in the offseason, maybe that wasn't the right fit.
Honestly if I were him, I'd stay glued to Andrew Thomas after the season was over and would do everything he does.
The team wasn't ready for the start of the season.
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Is that Evan needs to play better and he thinks he will, and at tackle.
Don't think there's much else to read into this.
I don't know. Seems like what Sy is saying... there is a disconnect/change between him at Alabama and him in the NFL.
Totally agreed. I don't think I saw a single mock without Neal top 10 and usually top 5. I saw one the other day where they had Thibs number 1 and Neal 2.
He doesn't look like the same player.
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of him because of it. He had good QB play at Alabama and they masked some of those sins. He has to speed up out of his stance...a lot.
At one point early in draft process he was getting listed as overall #1 pick which was too optimistic. Neal got beat often in the SEC but with his pedigree, size and the 'Bama reputation his draft stock held well enough to be a Top 10 pick.
Neal has got to get better. His lack of development killed our season.
This is definitely an overstatement. The bigger problem with the OL was the missed games with Thomas, which resulted in terrible LT play in those games, and that did result in the first DJ injury. And the biggest problem on this OL has been the poor OG play, at both spots. Bredeson has been worse than Neal, so has McKethan. Neal's play has been the third worst issue with the line out of these factors.
And again, he improved over the course of the season. Not to where we'd like him to be yet, but he was playing what I would term as average-level tackle play since week 4. Which is better than terrible. He still has time, hopefully he will be back on the field to get some much-needed reps sooner rather than later.
He is not been average for more than 2 or so quarters this entire season when he has played. It's not an overstatement.
With that said, I would still keep plugging him in at RT when next year starts. Unfortunately, he will likely be protecting a prized rookie QB so things could get dicey.
Right tackle - a position he also played in college for a full year - should have been easier for him.
The team wasn't ready for the start of the season.
I agree.
That said, if the Giants stay healthy from here out and play their best ball in December, maybe Dabs wasn't totally wrong.
Problem is he is missed time both in 2022 and 2023. He's missing too many games.
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I've said it a bunch of time for a couple of months now... no more soft camps/preseason. It didn't help on the injury front regardless.
The team wasn't ready for the start of the season.
I agree.
That said, if the Giants stay healthy from here out and play their best ball in December, maybe Dabs wasn't totally wrong.
That's little consolation with the season already over.
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big strides in their 3rd years... if he does and becomes an above average RT we are in good shape.
Problem is he is missed time both in 2022 and 2023. He's missing too many games.
Completely agree... I also think the OL coaching has been subpar... they don't play well together.
The team wasn't ready for the start of the season.
Yeah agree. I don't know if they actually had a soft camp but our OL guys get pushed around way too much when the real bullets fly. And I am a believer that contributes to many injuries.
Not at all. He doesn't come out and say it directly, but when he says that the guy works hard and points to this as his having ability, what else could it be? I mean, Phillips left and came back a better player somehow. It's a very plausible interpretation.
I see a guy thinking too much instead of just aggressively playing. When you think too much, you play MUCH slower. Thus his feet and his technique in general look slow, disorganize, it exacerbates his balance issues.
I've believed (and still do) that if they can have enough patience with him, he will eventually "get it" and become a VERY good tackle.
Of course, he has to get on the field and STAY THERE for that to happen!
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It is him justifying the pick. He is a top 7 picks. So, if it isn't the talent then what is it? Nobody is questioning his effort. The obvious choice is coaching.
The counter argument is he may be a good athlete, but not in the areas a tackle needs to be athletic. I think this is what Sy alludes to in his reviews.
What has me confused is again, we're not talking about a crap conference. He played against NFL caliber defensive linemen and linebackers in the SEC. He was a rock out there at LT, RT, and OG. It's why many pundits had him going #1 at one point.
Happens a lot. Greg Robinson played for Auburn, was the #2 pick. Dominating run blocker and scouts thought the overall athleticism would allow him to clean up his issues in pass pro in the NFL. The upside was tremendous. Whoops.
I think the same projection was applied to Neal. I'm still hopeful, but there's a lot of first round tackles that look great in college against good competition that just can't hack it at the NFL level for whatever reason.
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In comment 16306330 Eric from BBI said:
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I've said it a bunch of time for a couple of months now... no more soft camps/preseason. It didn't help on the injury front regardless.
The team wasn't ready for the start of the season.
I agree.
That said, if the Giants stay healthy from here out and play their best ball in December, maybe Dabs wasn't totally wrong.
That's little consolation with the season already over.
Indeed. I'd put sad and frustrated emojis here if I knew how.
That is what fans want to hear. So the question for BBI is: "Is he being sincere, or just hoping?"
I see a guy thinking too much instead of just aggressively playing. When you think too much, you play MUCH slower. Thus his feet and his technique in general look slow, disorganize, it exacerbates his balance issues.
I've believed (and still do) that if they can have enough patience with him, he will eventually "get it" and become a VERY good tackle.
Of course, he has to get on the field and STAY THERE for that to happen!
Evan showed his true potential to dominate in the SEC Championship game because he was more aggressive in every phase of his game. He trusted his techniques but at the same time used his god-given athletic talent on every block to defeat his opponent at the point of attack and when pass blocking. I suspect that Evan will struggle at first at the next level because he doesn’t like to make mistakes and thinks too much before the snap instead of just playing his game....Evan has to play with the aggressiveness he showed in the championship game and accept that perfectionism is for practice and survival is for the game.
full profile - ( New Window )
Dabs has to man up and fire his buddy Johnson as soon as the season ends and they need to find the right guy to develop all the young’uns they have.
Think about it … not one OL has improved over the past 2 years.
That is what fans want to hear. So the question for BBI is: "Is he being sincere, or just hoping?"
Hoping.
I can't refer to Bobby Johnson being let go as "sacrificial" in any way shape or form. He's coached one of the worst units in football the last 2 years despite having one of the best players at the most important position, no one outside of Thomas has progressed and truth be told, Johnson wasn't good in Buffalo.
My dream scenario is that if Stefanski gets let go, we throw a boatload of money at Callahan and let him finally fix this thing.
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If anything as a sacrificial lamb, but I haven't been impressed with the development, or lack thereof, of our younger guys. The inability to find a starting lineup in our interior until the 11th hour was another red flag imo.
I can't refer to Bobby Johnson being let go as "sacrificial" in any way shape or form. He's coached one of the worst units in football the last 2 years despite having one of the best players at the most important position, no one outside of Thomas has progressed and truth be told, Johnson wasn't good in Buffalo.
My dream scenario is that if Stefanski gets let go, we throw a boatload of money at Callahan and let him finally fix this thing.
Should add in, its a dream scenario because I don't see it happening, Stefanski is the best coach Cleveland has had in years.
To me he is not a sacrificial lamb at all. He has not developed or improved one player that I can see, in two years.
Ask yourself - do you see any OL on this team that improved(except AT) in the past two years?
I also don't understand why people think it is strange that Schoen went back to watch Evan Neal's college tape:
1) he is confirming that he saw what he saw in Neal to draft him at #7
2) he is self scouting - what did he miss in Neal that he is not developing
Let's remember that in the Dallas draft room photo that they had Thibs as their #1 rated player and Neal as their #2 rated player. When was the last time the Cowboys missed on OL? They drafted Travis Frederick in the first round when everyone had him 3rd round, maybe 2nd. I remember people scratching their heads.
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In comment 16306303 Sy'56 said:
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I went back and watched Neal tape from Alabama a few weeks ago
He looks like a different dude - completely different. If he were in this draft class coming up and I was using the college tape again - it would be Neal in the discussion for OT1 (and there are two really good ones here)
The balance problem was worrisome - but it got worse, not better. His technique and bend are so different, too.
So what the heck is going on?
Sounds like you and Schoen had the same thought and simply take another look.
I think there is a psychology component here that will go deeper than us watching tape. Neal is tripping trying to tie his shoes. I think he had some early struggles and did not respond to adversity like a player needs to.
Do you see any difference in the techniques he is being asked to utilize by the Giants vs what he was doing at Alabama?
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I went back and watched Neal tape from Alabama a few weeks ago
He looks like a different dude - completely different. If he were in this draft class coming up and I was using the college tape again - it would be Neal in the discussion for OT1 (and there are two really good ones here)
The balance problem was worrisome - but it got worse, not better. His technique and bend are so different, too.
So what the heck is going on?
Sounds like you and Schoen had the same thought and simply take another look.
Lets not forget that Thomas after a bad year -went back to his college coach to get right... that alone tells you whats going on.. the other was Neal going to the OL camp and the coach being happy about it. it was just odd.
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Is that Evan needs to play better and he thinks he will, and at tackle.
Don't think there's much else to read into this.
I don't know. Seems like what Sy is saying... there is a disconnect/change between him at Alabama and him in the NFL.
I think the other issue is youth and confidence -he looks like he is thinking too much.. Thibs was the same up until recently his play was mostly off a sec or 2 bc he was thinking and not reacting... Same with the LBrs. and we are starting to see i with the secondary Flott, Banks Dre etc. It takes time for it to click.. especially at that level
Indulging myself in some uninformed armchair psychology here....a guy like Neal has likely, due to his significant edge in size and talent, not faced much likelihood of failure in his career prior to the NFL. By all accounts, he's a hard worker, so effort isn't the issue. Athletic ability isn't the issue. It might simply be that he's too wound up and afraid of making mistakes, and that's keeping him from just going out and playing.
Thomas had to adjust to it too. Coupled with Neal's inherent deficiencies it's just a learning process.
The team wasn't ready for the start of the season.
The team wasn't ready for the start of the season.
This 100%
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I went back and watched Neal tape from Alabama a few weeks ago
He looks like a different dude - completely different. If he were in this draft class coming up and I was using the college tape again - it would be Neal in the discussion for OT1 (and there are two really good ones here)
The balance problem was worrisome - but it got worse, not better. His technique and bend are so different, too.
Agreed. Had enough good high-profiled games in the SEC, and with his size, to project into first half of Rd 1 and then progress from there.
Now he seems like a guy who plays like an early Day 3 pick who has a lot to development ahead of him.
Says to me coaching is an issue, and whatever Johnson is teaching him isn't working.
College OL coming to the NFL need a LOT of technique work. Pro OL coaches aren't just a buddy to watch film with. The best ones do a LOT of teaching, and the best teachers find ways to connect the technique to the individual player. In my view, Johnson hasn't done it with a single player since he's been here.
Many want to dismiss the role of an OL coach and point the finger at the player, but I disagree with that strongly in the case of Neal. I have connections with people that have known him since IMG and the picture they paint is of a conscientious young man who matured greatly at Alabama and has all of the want-to, and the physical talent (obviously) to succeed in the NFL.
Something isn't clicking and the first thing that needs to change is the guy running the OL room.
The one blemish is that he was promoted and then demoted as OL coach in Indi.
Another guy to look at is Adrian Klemm, currently Belichick’s OL coach but who also served as OL coach for the Steelers. He left Pitt with rumors of a bad relationship with just fired OC Matt Cahadas. Relatively young.
I see a guy thinking too much instead of just aggressively playing. When you think too much, you play MUCH slower. Thus his feet and his technique in general look slow, disorganize, it exacerbates his balance issues.
I've believed (and still do) that if they can have enough patience with him, he will eventually "get it" and become a VERY good tackle.
Of course, he has to get on the field and STAY THERE for that to happen!
Where did you come up with this ? If anything Willie Anderson changed his foot work . As far as making him think too much , he can’t even handle a rudimentary end-tackle game . Against pressure fronts , he misses his guy more than any starting ROT I’ve seen on the Giants in years . And the Edge can get around him off the snap without dint of a second move . It’s been brutal .
My best friend keeps telling me he’s a run blocker . This is a passing league now . I know what Schoen said. I think he was searching for a reason to continue to believe. I don’t anymore . And regardless of what the VP-GM says I think his best shot is playing next to Thomas .
A better right guard
And run smash mouth football to the right side. IE Barkley doesn’t run smash mouth
I also wonder if he is a bit soft.
He looks like a different dude - completely different. If he were in this draft class coming up and I was using the college tape again - it would be Neal in the discussion for OT1 (and there are two really good ones here)
The balance problem was worrisome - but it got worse, not better. His technique and bend are so different, too.
Hopefully he’ll snap out of it and become good - but we are overthinking this.
*Andrew Thomas was an All Pro-calibre player before he got here.
*Josh Ezeudu and Marcus McKethan look terrible so far. Ezeudu failing to grab a starting G spot has to be a disappointment.
*Glowinski's play has taken a nosedive to the point he isn't even in consideration for playing time on a bad OL.
*Lemieux looked worse than ever.
*Phillips made some comments about how much better the coaching was in PHI when he got back here.
*Mayfield looked completely incapable of playing football when they needed him.
*And now - Schmitz, who BJ was very high on during the draft process. Looks OK, we'll see. Hoping he improves.
And obviously, they look clueless as a unit.
*Andrew Thomas was an All Pro-calibre player before he got here.
*Josh Ezeudu and Marcus McKethan look terrible so far. Ezeudu failing to grab a starting G spot has to be a disappointment.
*Glowinski's play has taken a nosedive to the point he isn't even in consideration for playing time on a bad OL.
*Lemieux looked worse than ever.
*Phillips made some comments about how much better the coaching was in PHI when he got back here.
*Mayfield looked completely incapable of playing football when they needed him.
*And now - Schmitz, who BJ was very high on during the draft process. Looks OK, we'll see. Hoping he improves.
And obviously, they look clueless as a unit.
adding to the list, his hand picked center conversion "dirtbag" didn't convert well, then bounced to SF for a league minimum backup role.
activating mckethan from PUP with 0 reps and giving lemiuex/peart roster spots over Tyre Phillips continues to be the biggest wtf was he watching all summer? Phillips has been better than Neal for the most part.
but hey, at least bobby talked the talk of a tough guy. if he's back next year ill be shocked.
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I think there is a psychology component here that will go deeper than us watching tape. Neal is tripping trying to tie his shoes. I think he had some early struggles and did not respond to adversity like a player needs to.
Indulging myself in some uninformed armchair psychology here....a guy like Neal has likely, due to his significant edge in size and talent, not faced much likelihood of failure in his career prior to the NFL. By all accounts, he's a hard worker, so effort isn't the issue. Athletic ability isn't the issue. It might simply be that he's too wound up and afraid of making mistakes, and that's keeping him from just going out and playing.
Maybe he he's suffering from some bizarro version of the David Carr "gunshy from being sacked" issue -- he's been damaged by all the sacks Daniel Jones has been at fault for.