2022 NFL re-draft: New York Giants correct their Evan Neal mistake
In a 2022 NFL re-draft, the New York Giants correct their Evan Neal mistake, passing him over at No. 7 for a player of higher quality.
The New York Giants ’ future could have taken a different path had the franchise selected a different prospect instead of Evan Neal with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft. Neal got off to a rocky start.
The Alabama product drew scrutiny in his second season after the Giants allowed their former quarterback Daniel Jones to be sacked 11 times in a 24-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on October 3, 2023. Neal responded to criticism from Giants fans by referring to them as sheep after the defeat. That season, Neal played a role in the Giants allowing the second-most sacks in a single regular season in NFL history with 85.
His on-field performance showed some measurable progress in 2024, but his career has otherwise been underwhelming for the Giants, to say the least. Despite displaying an improved frame and greater agility this spring ahead of the 2026 season, the Giants had multiple elite players available in the 2022 draft who had the potential to transform the franchise. Here is a look at some of the players the Giants passed on in favor of Neal.
New selection: C Tyler Linderbaum (Las Vegas Raiders) Linderbaum has done nothing but prove he is one of the premier centers in the NFL since entering the league in 2022. While the Giants’ offensive line has improved year over year from 2022 to the present, pass protection was the most critical issue for the team at the time of the draft. Developing the NFL’s highest-paid center of all time from the start could have changed the outlook for the Giants with Daniel Jones under center and later during the transition to Jaxson Dart as the team’s current quarterback.