New York Giants fans have seen enough of the Evan Neal story to know how it ends. The latest reminder came from CBS Sports, where Mike Renner ranked every first-round NFL Draft pick since 2020 and slotted Neal 185th out of 191 selections, not counting the 32 picks from 2026.
That’s the kind of placement that says plenty without needing much explanation. For the Giants, Neal has become the face of a draft miss that still hangs over Joe Schoen’s early tenure.
Schoen took over as general manager in January of 2022 and walked into his first draft with two top-10 picks. The Giants used them on Kayvon Thibodeaux and Neal. Thibodeaux’s story is still unfolding, but Neal’s verdict has been in for a while.
The offensive tackle gave up 71 pressures in his first 22 starts and was immediately one of the league’s weakest tackles, especially in pass protection. The improvement never really came.
Injuries only made the situation messier, with knee and hamstring problems costing him significant time in both 2023 and 2024. In 2025, he didn’t play a snap at all while dealing with hamstring, back and neck injuries.
But the bigger issue was never just health. Even when Neal was on the field, he wasn’t playable at a level that justified his draft slot. That’s why the Giants moved him to guard and eventually pushed him to the bench.
Neal returned to New York on a one-year deal this offseason, but he is not expected to make the final roster. He could wind up on a practice squad this season, though it looks increasingly likely that his final NFL start has already come and gone.
Meanwhile, the Giants have moved on up front without him. Jermaine Eluemunor’s shift to right tackle has helped cover for the miss, and the team now has a stronger tackle pairing along with rookie Francis Mauigoa adding help on the interior. That gives the Giants a line they can live with in front of Jaxson Dart in 2026.
If that group holds together, Giants fans may finally be able to stop thinking about the Neal pick altogether.
In Other News...
Giants Just Made A Statement About Cam Skattebos Future
The Giants spent the offseason making it clear they want their ground game to look different, and Patrick Ricard is a pretty loud clue. The veteran fullback brings the kind of lead-blocking presence that fits a more physical approach, and his arrival also reconnects him with John Harbaugh after years together in Baltimore. For a team trying to lean into a tougher identity, adding a proven blocker is not a subtle move.
It also says plenty about where Cam Skattebo fits in all of this. The rookie flashed the kind of bruising style that can anchor a downhill attack, and the Giants appear intent on building around that profile rather than asking him to be something else. Skattebos season ended with an ankle injury, but the direction of the offense suggests the organization still sees him as the centerpiece of a smashmouth run game, with Ricard there to help clear the way. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Just Set Up A Training Camp Move Fans Will Notice
Just before training camp, the Giants cleared a little more room on the back end of the roster by waiving linebacker Cam Jones and defensive tackle C.J. Ravenell. Jones was mostly a special teams piece last season and had been dealing with an injury during minicamp, while Ravenell arrived only recently as a waiver claim and was designated with a non-football injury.
The timing suggests this is more than simple housekeeping, because those two openings give the Giants flexibility to keep shaping the camp roster. Whether the next move is aimed at special teams help or a bit more depth at a few spots, the team has positioned itself to make another addition before the real competition starts. [Read more 🡒]