NFL Draft 2022: Final 32-pick Round 1 mock with trades

NFL Draft Pick No. 5: New York Giants – Evan Neal, Offensive Tackle, Alabama

Andrew Thomas has improved at left tackle after a slow start to his career, but Nate Solder is well past his prime and a liability at right tackle. The offensive line was a huge liability in the development of quarterback Daniel Jones, and right tackle is now the biggest need after the Giants spent a lot of time shoring up the interior offensive line.

Evan Neal is a freak of a human being, measuring in at 6-foot-7 and 360 pounds and having the athleticism of someone much smaller than him. He’s still an outside chance to go No. 1 overall, and the Giants would be getting a steal at their biggest position of need (outside arguably quarterback).

Neal can play guard or tackle in the NFL just like he did at Alabama, so the versatility is there as well. Neal doesn’t have the best lateral mobility as you would suspect from such a huge player, but he’s consistent enough that he should beat all but the speediest of EDGEs to the spot and make them move around him.

His run blocking is also pretty sound, and he’s a mauler when he’s allowed to lock in on defenders. Alabama has done a superb job of setting him up for the NFL, and his counter moves to pass-rushing techniques are exceptional.

Such a big player does carry an element of risk, of course, in terms of the aforementioned lateral mobility, but Neal looks to have all the tools needed to allay those concerns.