Let’s rewind to April of 2022. Joe Schoen was engineering his first draft as the General Manager of the Giants and there were three tackles widely considered top ten-caliber prospects. The Giants had a massive hole at right tackle after a three-year run of watching the likes of Nate Solder, Matt Peart, Cam Fleming, and Mike Remmers allow a combined 22 sacks and 140 pressures. They settled on Evan Neal, an All-American from Alabama who was widely considered a future Pro Bowler by scouts in the league and media. Since then, Neal has started 31 games while averaging over three pressures allowed per along with multiple injuries to his lower body, magnifying his balance problems. He is on his last legs as the team is transitioning him to guard, a position he last played as a true freshman at Alabama in 2019. His body control and pad level issues that show up in space against speed and quickness should be somewhat hidden inside and the one area he has graded out well, run blocking, should be easier to use at his new spot.
Van Roten was signed late as a free agent a year ago and immediately won the right guard job partially because there was little to no intra-roster competition. He played in all 17 games and led the entire offense in snaps played by a wide margin. He also proved his versatility by filling in at center when starter John Michael Schmitz went down with an injury. Van Roten, one of the oldest lineman in the league, struggled early and late in the year but he did hit a consistent stride from weeks 5 to 14. The biggest feather in his cap is the fact the Giants’ offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo worked with Van Roten for multiple seasons before the two met again in New York. We often see this with coaches around the league; they want to move forward with who they are comfortable with.
Prediction: Van Roten
The familiarity between Van Roten and Bricillo in addition to the fact they know where the floor is with him will get him the nod. Neal is still a project playing a new position who has a negative attached to his name in the durability department.