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NFT: Can Evan Neal Play Guard?

mfjmfj : 2/18/2024 6:05 pm
We have all heard the idea of moving Neal to guard.

I am not sure it is a reasonable expectation.

Neal is 6'7". My concern is that there are exactly two NFL guards that are that tall. Markus Mckethan. Oof. And Andrus Peat, who is a legit starting guard.

The height which is an advantage at tackle, is a disadvantage of guard. First, it makes the QB throwing lanes more difficult. Secondly, arm length and body length help protect the edge but are a disadvantage in close space leverage that happens more often in the interior. He has the size and build of a OT not OG. If his problem is footwork and balance (which it seems it might be) then OG is unlikely to be better.

For the record I have not given up on Neal. With injuries, he has played about one full season. Hopefully the OL coach change is what he needs.
Why would he?  
section125 : 2/18/2024 6:09 pm : link
Why would the Giants even try?

Are going to have weekly move Neal to guard threads until July?
So an NFT thread huh?  
Beer Man : 2/18/2024 6:23 pm : link
Are you asking if he can play guard for the Knicks?
Half the morons here wrote off Thomas  
LauderdaleMatty : 2/18/2024 6:34 pm : link
After two years. Kid has been hurt. Now maybe he never cuts it but this site is so full of stupid shit it's just sad. They should cut Neal. Just to stop the threads.
It really depends on how he performs..  
Giant John : 2/18/2024 6:34 pm : link
As a left tackle through camp and exhibition games. He could fail as a guard too. I’d want to get some film on him for both spots. In the interim, we need a solid tackle to drop into place in the event Neal is a better guard than tackle.
Neal has to understand he is on a short leash/
RE: It really depends on how he performs..  
BleedBlue46 : 2/18/2024 6:39 pm : link
In comment 16402136 Giant John said:
Quote:
As a left tackle through camp and exhibition games. He could fail as a guard too. I’d want to get some film on him for both spots. In the interim, we need a solid tackle to drop into place in the event Neal is a better guard than tackle.
Neal has to understand he is on a short leash/


Yes, I would love to sign Onwenu whom is on an upward trajectory with his play and only 26. He could play right tackle or help at guard.
Give Neal a healthy season and a decent veteran guard next to him  
US1 Giants : 2/18/2024 6:43 pm : link
I think he will succeed.
He will not play guard with the Giants  
MNP70 : 2/18/2024 7:01 pm : link
Ever. He has no experience playing guard at the NFL level. What he does need is to get his head on straight and stay healthy. He'll be fine
Beyond Peat at 6’7”,  
JoeSchoens11 : 2/18/2024 7:46 pm : link
There are a lot of Gs playing at 6’6”. You can’t convince me that one inch takes you from viable to unplayable. His build also looks much more guard-like (massive base) than Tackle.

If you need further evidence, this is what Neal looks like as a Guard (true freshman, no less). There aren’t balance issues when he doesn’t need to race to depth. He is an absolute beast and is plenty quick.

Apologies for the need to skip through the LSU possessions…and for having to watch DeVonta’s dominance.
The  
AcidTest : 2/18/2024 7:47 pm : link
Giants won't even think about trying him at guard until they are absolutely sure he can't play RT. And we aren't at that point yet. He was taken with the seventh pick in the draft and has had injuries. A new OL coach may also help him. But he certainly looked poor at times during the last two years. He has to prove this year that he is a starting RT in the NFL.
Neal...  
Brown_Hornet : 2/18/2024 7:48 pm : link
...is an OT.
It might come to pass  
RHPeel : 2/18/2024 7:49 pm : link
If the board falls a certain way the Giants might be drafting Joe Alt. That means Neal plays guard or he's on the bench.
RE: It might come to pass  
section125 : 2/18/2024 7:53 pm : link
In comment 16402230 RHPeel said:
Quote:
If the board falls a certain way the Giants might be drafting Joe Alt. That means Neal plays guard or he's on the bench.


They will NOT be drafting OT at #6. It will be WR, ER or QB. I expect OL in 2nd or 3rd round.
RE: RE: It might come to pass  
RHPeel : 2/18/2024 8:07 pm : link
In comment 16402236 section125 said:
Quote:
In comment 16402230 RHPeel said:


Quote:


If the board falls a certain way the Giants might be drafting Joe Alt. That means Neal plays guard or he's on the bench.



They will NOT be drafting OT at #6. It will be WR, ER or QB. I expect OL in 2nd or 3rd round.


I think it's a pretty straightforward case:

- They don't like any of the edges that high.
- One of the top three QBs or the top three wide receivers gets taken off their board because of bad interviews.

Then they're sort of stuck, and Joe alt is about as safe a bet as you can get. Unless they trade down, which I think is probably how they go in that situation.

RE: RE: RE: It might come to pass  
Mbavaro : 2/18/2024 8:16 pm : link
In comment 16402253 RHPeel said:
Quote:
In comment 16402236 section125 said:


Quote:


In comment 16402230 RHPeel said:


Quote:


If the board falls a certain way the Giants might be drafting Joe Alt. That means Neal plays guard or he's on the bench.



They will NOT be drafting OT at #6. It will be WR, ER or QB. I expect OL in 2nd or 3rd round.



I think it's a pretty straightforward case:

- They don't like any of the edges that high.
- One of the top three QBs or the top three wide receivers gets taken off their board because of bad interviews.

Then they're sort of stuck, and Joe alt is about as safe a bet as you can get. Unless they trade down, which I think is probably how they go in that situation.


If you think they could draft over Neal in the first round….then I have a bridge to sell you
RE: RE: RE: RE: It might come to pass  
JoeSchoens11 : 2/18/2024 8:27 pm : link
In comment 16402258 Mbavaro said:
Quote:
In comment 16402253 RHPeel said:


Quote:


In comment 16402236 section125 said:


Quote:


In comment 16402230 RHPeel said:


Quote:


If the board falls a certain way the Giants might be drafting Joe Alt. That means Neal plays guard or he's on the bench.



They will NOT be drafting OT at #6. It will be WR, ER or QB. I expect OL in 2nd or 3rd round.



I think it's a pretty straightforward case:

- They don't like any of the edges that high.
- One of the top three QBs or the top three wide receivers gets taken off their board because of bad interviews.

Then they're sort of stuck, and Joe alt is about as safe a bet as you can get. Unless they trade down, which I think is probably how they go in that situation.




If you think they could draft over Neal in the first round….then I have a bridge to sell you
I assume this means that we can’t draft qb, either?
RE: Half the morons here wrote off Thomas  
FStubbs : 2/18/2024 8:39 pm : link
In comment 16402135 LauderdaleMatty said:
Quote:
After two years. Kid has been hurt. Now maybe he never cuts it but this site is so full of stupid shit it's just sad. They should cut Neal. Just to stop the threads.


After one year, sure. But after his second year, it was clear Thomas was on the rise.

I hope Neal turns it around, but odds are better that he continues to be a bust than it is he turns it around.
Partly due to the missed time due to injuries and partly because  
Ira : 2/18/2024 8:41 pm : link
they're bringing in a new offensive line coach to work with him, Neal gets another season to show he's the player we drafted.
RE: RE: Half the morons here wrote off Thomas  
JoeSchoens11 : 2/18/2024 9:05 pm : link
In comment 16402278 FStubbs said:
Quote:
In comment 16402135 LauderdaleMatty said:


Quote:


After two years. Kid has been hurt. Now maybe he never cuts it but this site is so full of stupid shit it's just sad. They should cut Neal. Just to stop the threads.



After one year, sure. But after his second year, it was clear Thomas was on the rise.

I hope Neal turns it around, but odds are better that he continues to be a bust than it is he turns it around.
Hardly anyone was writing off AT after year one, either. He was an average OT that year, which was disappointing for a top-5 pick but he showed he belonged. A few of the extreme posters may have been saying some ridiculous stuff but that happens with so many people on this site.

Neal’s still searching for his 1st season with a pff above 45
RE: RE: Half the morons here wrote off Thomas  
nochance : 2/18/2024 9:19 pm : link
In comment 16402278 FStubbs said:
Quote:
In comment 16402135 LauderdaleMatty said:


Quote:


After two years. Kid has been hurt. Now maybe he never cuts it but this site is so full of stupid shit it's just sad. They should cut Neal. Just to stop the threads.



After one year, sure. But after his second year, it was clear Thomas was on the rise.

I hope Neal turns it around, but odds are better that he continues to be a bust than it is he turns it around.



How about the fact that Neal was playing with a broken ankle when he was in there
RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: It might come to pass  
BleedBlue46 : 2/18/2024 10:33 pm : link
In comment 16402270 JoeSchoens11 said:
Quote:
In comment 16402258 Mbavaro said:


Quote:


In comment 16402253 RHPeel said:


Quote:


In comment 16402236 section125 said:


Quote:


In comment 16402230 RHPeel said:


Quote:


If the board falls a certain way the Giants might be drafting Joe Alt. That means Neal plays guard or he's on the bench.



They will NOT be drafting OT at #6. It will be WR, ER or QB. I expect OL in 2nd or 3rd round.



I think it's a pretty straightforward case:

- They don't like any of the edges that high.
- One of the top three QBs or the top three wide receivers gets taken off their board because of bad interviews.

Then they're sort of stuck, and Joe alt is about as safe a bet as you can get. Unless they trade down, which I think is probably how they go in that situation.




If you think they could draft over Neal in the first round….then I have a bridge to sell you

I assume this means that we can’t draft qb, either?


It's a top 4 QB draft, I'd prefer JJ over Maye myself.
Odds are not in Neals favor at OT  
xman : 2/18/2024 10:56 pm : link
odds undetermined at G. Giants Draft should address this OT issue
look at the tape....  
thrunthrublue : 2/18/2024 11:23 pm : link
from last july.....neal, pre concussion and concerns about the list of his other mystery foot injuries which have resulted in his game readiness being more rare than buying a winning lottery ticket.....he comes jogging out of the locker room, barely avoids stumbling at the concrete to field transition, then.....four strides later...he stumbles, almost topples over. neal has NO balance, no forward lean, no O line game play awareness....and mostly, NO quickness. (he always moves a full second after the snap, just when the D end is flying past him). It is all concerning given the gigantic scouting and management failures attached to his albatross esque failings. That, JS and DB. is one expensive, gigantic failure of an incompetent albatross.
RE: look at the tape....  
BleedBlue46 : 2/18/2024 11:27 pm : link
In comment 16402351 thrunthrublue said:
Quote:
from last july.....neal, pre concussion and concerns about the list of his other mystery foot injuries which have resulted in his game readiness being more rare than buying a winning lottery ticket.....he comes jogging out of the locker room, barely avoids stumbling at the concrete to field transition, then.....four strides later...he stumbles, almost topples over. neal has NO balance, no forward lean, no O line game play awareness....and mostly, NO quickness. (he always moves a full second after the snap, just when the D end is flying past him). It is all concerning given the gigantic scouting and management failures attached to his albatross esque failings. That, JS and DB. is one expensive, gigantic failure of an incompetent albatross.


Well to be fair Neal was widely regarded as a top prospect, o line is next to qb with how tough it is to project from college to the pros imo
RE: Half the morons here wrote off Thomas  
Will Shine : 2/19/2024 4:28 am : link
In comment 16402135 LauderdaleMatty said:
Quote:
After two years. Kid has been hurt. Now maybe he never cuts it but this site is so full of stupid shit it's just sad. They should cut Neal. Just to stop the threads.


What did the other half of morons say?
RE: RE: Half the morons here wrote off Thomas  
BigBlueShock : 2/19/2024 7:55 am : link
In comment 16402363 Will Shine said:
Quote:
In comment 16402135 LauderdaleMatty said:


Quote:


After two years. Kid has been hurt. Now maybe he never cuts it but this site is so full of stupid shit it's just sad. They should cut Neal. Just to stop the threads.



What did the other half of morons say?

They said that Thomas will shine
RE: look at the tape....  
Optimus-NY : 2/19/2024 8:12 am : link
In comment 16402351 thrunthrublue said:
Quote:
from last july.....neal, pre concussion and concerns about the list of his other mystery foot injuries which have resulted in his game readiness being more rare than buying a winning lottery ticket.....he comes jogging out of the locker room, barely avoids stumbling at the concrete to field transition, then.....four strides later...he stumbles, almost topples over. neal has NO balance, no forward lean, no O line game play awareness....and mostly, NO quickness. (he always moves a full second after the snap, just when the D end is flying past him). It is all concerning given the gigantic scouting and management failures attached to his albatross esque failings. That, JS and DB. is one expensive, gigantic failure of an incompetent albatross.


Pretty much. Dude's got less balance than Rocky Balboa when he was training with Apollo Creed in Rocky 3 before Adrian read him the riot act.
Per the Combine Neal is 6-7 1/2 and McKethan is 6-6 1/2  
Marty in Albany : 2/19/2024 8:34 am : link
I don't know if this is splitting hairs, but those are the most accurate numbers, unless McKethan grew an inch with the Giants.
Neal is getting another season at RT  
JonC : 2/19/2024 9:37 am : link
and the new OL coach will need to fix him.
I believe what my own two eyes tell me about Neal.  
Optimus-NY : 2/19/2024 9:43 am : link
He ain't got no balance. Dude can't play OT. A lot of you need to come offa this hill because it's not one you should wanna die on. He doesn't have it. End of story. Plug him in at Guard and be done with it.

You've gotta know when to hold 'em and...
It isn't a simple move  
Matt M. : 2/19/2024 10:13 am : link
This isn't Madden. He would already need to be working on things NOW. The reality is, this is not likely to happen, at least not this season. Hopefully they get 2 quality OGs and the new OL creates a solid unit. He did a nice job in LV with a mediocre bunch of guys.
Agree  
SomeFan : 2/19/2024 10:31 am : link
seems too tall and not suited for guard at all. II would still try him at RT. I am pretty concerned about him considering he never did any pre-draft testing as far as I know. Maybe he and his agent were aware that it would have been poor. Sometimes those tests have meaning.
Evan Neal  
Tim in Eternal Blue : 2/19/2024 10:58 am : link

Has to be be my least favorite draft pick in the first round. He's dreadful. I doubt he can stop DE's in the UFL.
RE: It isn't a simple move  
JoeSchoens11 : 2/19/2024 10:58 am : link
In comment 16402502 Matt M. said:
Quote:
This isn't Madden. He would already need to be working on things NOW. The reality is, this is not likely to happen, at least not this season. Hopefully they get 2 quality OGs and the new OL creates a solid unit. He did a nice job in LV with a mediocre bunch of guys.
I’d ague that he would have less to work on in camp to convert to an G than things he would have to overcome to be an acceptable RT. His functional athleticism puts him at a massive disadvantage at RT and severely limits his ceiling.

Alternatively, his athleticism would be a plus as a G.
Neal played with a broken ankle  
JerseyCityJoe : 2/19/2024 12:46 pm : link
He sure played like it. Before and after the injury.
RE: RE: RE: Half the morons here wrote off Thomas  
FStubbs : 2/19/2024 2:56 pm : link
In comment 16402313 nochance said:
Quote:
In comment 16402278 FStubbs said:


Quote:


In comment 16402135 LauderdaleMatty said:


Quote:


After two years. Kid has been hurt. Now maybe he never cuts it but this site is so full of stupid shit it's just sad. They should cut Neal. Just to stop the threads.



After one year, sure. But after his second year, it was clear Thomas was on the rise.

I hope Neal turns it around, but odds are better that he continues to be a bust than it is he turns it around.




How about the fact that Neal was playing with a broken ankle when he was in there


That's just it. We have 2 years of excuses and bad play. It's more likely we'll have yet another year of excuses and bad play than we will that he turns it around.

I hope our new OL knows how to fix Neal. We'll see.

In terms of our first round pick, if we did draft a new RT to replace Neal, it would be a perfectly logical move, as we have a big gaping hole at RT right now.
I sad chuckled  
JoeMoney19 : 2/19/2024 6:09 pm : link
at the NFT.
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