July 29, 2025 • 5 mins
Offensive Lineman Evan Neal speaks to the media on Tuesday after practice at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Explain what you did in your officasion to get it to.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
The shaper and now it just worked hard. I went
back to uh HIMG Academy. They have a great staff there,
but they're strengthly conditioning rehab rehabilitation focused a lot on cardio,
but just getting my heart rate up, putting myself in
a challenging situations, and I think it's playing off pretty
good for me.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
What changes for you, like dark compared it to attack,
Like do you have to get.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yourself ready differently? Preparing differently? In that regard it's a
new position. But at the end of the day, it's
all football, you know what I'm saying. So from a
schematic standpoint, the playbook is just a big different Some
of the technique is a bit different, but I mean,
at the end of the day, it's football.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
What about your skill set you think helps you inside?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
I think my skill set as an offensive lineman just
helps me. I'm a big guy. I take up a
lot of masks. I'm athletic, so when I get my
hands on guys, you know, a lot of time, I
can pretty much, you know, shut the rep down. And
in the run game, I'm explosive and I carry a lot
of masks, so when I made contact at the point
of attack, I get gods moving backwards. Evan.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
It will be different techniques and things you need to learn,
is one thing, but it was acceptance of this a
big thing for you in your head moving forward with
this new position.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
I'm just focused on playing football. I still have an
opportunity in this league and I'm grateful for that. So. Uh,
the the acceptance part of it that that that really
was never in my head because at the end of
the day, I'm just grateful to still be able to
play the game that I love. They've been a.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Couple of players practice with your confidence.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
My confidence is great. I'm just out there playing football.
It's hot out, there's camp, you know what I'm saying,
But grinding, getting after it, trying to get better every day.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
There have been a couple of players in recent years
that have made the switch from tackle to guard and
had a lot of successful kai back and being one
of them with the Eagles. Did you reach out to
him or or anybody else's recently made I have no How.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Would you sum up so far your NFL career? How
would you sum it up?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Uh? So far has just been a player that's been
getting better and better each year. Injuries played the part.
Uh kind of had to battle through those. I feel
like I've showed grit and resiliency uh to still be
standing here today. So I'm just gonna focus on continuing
to get better in the future. Goal space now at
this junction in your career as opposed so going to
all those trials and tribulations. Definitely, I'm healthy. I'm I'm
(02:07):
a lot more experienced in this league now. I've seen
a lot more been in a lot more situations, so, uh,
certain things I know how to handle. And on the
line and how they're messing, I think we're messing great.
We're going out there and robusting our ass every day,
rere rallying, you know, uh alongside one another when it
gets tough. So that's always exciting to see because when
the offensive line is uh, you know, coming together upfront,
(02:29):
that's a great indication of a a good performance on offense.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Reference left left side and right side.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
I've been playing both, you know, so uh, you know,
I I just wanna play. So wherever the the coaches
line me up, you know, I'm gonna do my best
to uh they execute the best I can.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
They've said things had been faster on the inside than
on the outside. So what are's like some of those
things you've had to adjust to.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Uh, just in terms of like a three technique is
closer than h uh uh a five technique off the
edge would be you know so uh And and at
tackle they talk about you know, patients patience, but that
guard you kind of got to get on a guy
right now, you know what I'm saying, The fight starts
a bit earlier. And just in terms of just picking
up blitzes and things of that nature, A lot of
times it happened just a bit quicker. You're gonna get broken.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
The huddle at any point and gone ran into the
wrong spot, you know, because your muscle memory you're running
the right tackle and remember.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
You no not yet.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Is there any challenge like seen you left in right guard?
Is there any challenge you have to like mentally agree
for either position.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
I mean, just the fact of the matter of the playbook,
you know what I'm saying, Just uh, just making sure
that I don't get you know, crossed up, you know
what I'm saying, because sometimes I could line up on
the left side, but you know, mentally like a process
of play as the right side of player, So just
constantly having to be locked in, you know, schematically to
what we're trying to achieve. What's that like though?
Speaker 3 (03:43):
How do you try to like focus on that because
obviously you're doing left with one unit right with another.
They give me a little confusing.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
How do you try to just study in my playbook?
Getting in the book and uh, you just taking the
deep breath of going out there and playing football, you know,
because the fact of the matter, I know the plays,
i know what I'm being asked to do, and I
just go out there and try to execute to the
best of my abilities.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Most cards are not as tall as you, So what
is the advantage and is every disadvantage.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Of getting so tall? I can't really say, you know,
to be honest with you. I mean, I'm a big guy.
I take up a lot of space. But in in
terms of hype, uh, I can't think of a you know,
a tangible advantage being tall.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Hope that you could be the player the Giants drafted.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
You to be. I'm just focused on getting better each year,
being the player that I know I can be. You know,
I appreciate the Giants organization for continuing to believe in
me and UH giving me an opportunity to showcase my
skill set. So I'm focusing on getting better every single
day chopping wood and carrying water. We'll take three more
if you'll haven't.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
How much are you some period just the second team?
Sometimes you've come in during a period with the ones
the record, Like, how much are you aware of that
going into the.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Day or is it on the fly? Yeah, I'm I'm
aware before practice? So UH coach writes out the depth chart,
you know, in the morning before each practice. So I
take a look at that and I'm ready to go.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Is there any adjustment at a to you know, when
Russ is in there? You know, you've dealt with Daniel
and really tall quarterbacks with Russ is certainly not a
tall quarterback here. He's got to see over you. Is
there anything that you've noticed so far that this is
different because he's not a big guy.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
That's a better question for Russell himself to answer. You know.
I mean, I'm not back there, and i'd be I
can imagine that it'll probably be, you know, pretty tough
to see over our guys and massive is me, you know,
but you should ask him that question back not Yeah,
not yet.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Jane's been in the locker room. Just kind of adding
him to the next.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
He's been pretty good in the locker room. Good locker room,
got a good teammate, and uh, he works hard.
Explain what you did in your officasion to get it to.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
The shaper and now it just worked hard. I went
back to uh HIMG Academy. They have a great staff there,
but they're strengthly conditioning rehab rehabilitation focused a lot on cardio,
but just getting my heart rate up, putting myself in
a challenging situations, and I think it's playing off pretty
good for me.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
What changes for you, like dark compared it to attack,
Like do you have to get.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yourself ready differently? Preparing differently? In that regard it's a
new position. But at the end of the day, it's
all football, you know what I'm saying. So from a
schematic standpoint, the playbook is just a big different Some
of the technique is a bit different, but I mean,
at the end of the day, it's football.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
What about your skill set you think helps you inside?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
I think my skill set as an offensive lineman just
helps me. I'm a big guy. I take up a
lot of masks. I'm athletic, so when I get my
hands on guys, you know, a lot of time, I
can pretty much, you know, shut the rep down. And
in the run game, I'm explosive and I carry a lot
of masks, so when I made contact at the point
of attack, I get gods moving backwards. Evan.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
It will be different techniques and things you need to learn,
is one thing, but it was acceptance of this a
big thing for you in your head moving forward with
this new position.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
I'm just focused on playing football. I still have an
opportunity in this league and I'm grateful for that. So. Uh,
the the acceptance part of it that that that really
was never in my head because at the end of
the day, I'm just grateful to still be able to
play the game that I love. They've been a.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Couple of players practice with your confidence.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
My confidence is great. I'm just out there playing football.
It's hot out, there's camp, you know what I'm saying,
But grinding, getting after it, trying to get better every day.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
There have been a couple of players in recent years
that have made the switch from tackle to guard and
had a lot of successful kai back and being one
of them with the Eagles. Did you reach out to
him or or anybody else's recently made I have no How.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Would you sum up so far your NFL career? How
would you sum it up?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Uh? So far has just been a player that's been
getting better and better each year. Injuries played the part.
Uh kind of had to battle through those. I feel
like I've showed grit and resiliency uh to still be
standing here today. So I'm just gonna focus on continuing
to get better in the future. Goal space now at
this junction in your career as opposed so going to
all those trials and tribulations. Definitely, I'm healthy. I'm I'm
(02:07):
a lot more experienced in this league now. I've seen
a lot more been in a lot more situations, so, uh,
certain things I know how to handle. And on the
line and how they're messing, I think we're messing great.
We're going out there and robusting our ass every day,
rere rallying, you know, uh alongside one another when it
gets tough. So that's always exciting to see because when
the offensive line is uh, you know, coming together upfront,
(02:29):
that's a great indication of a a good performance on offense.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Reference left left side and right side.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
I've been playing both, you know, so uh, you know,
I I just wanna play. So wherever the the coaches
line me up, you know, I'm gonna do my best
to uh they execute the best I can.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
They've said things had been faster on the inside than
on the outside. So what are's like some of those
things you've had to adjust to.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Uh, just in terms of like a three technique is
closer than h uh uh a five technique off the
edge would be you know so uh And and at
tackle they talk about you know, patients patience, but that
guard you kind of got to get on a guy
right now, you know what I'm saying, The fight starts
a bit earlier. And just in terms of just picking
up blitzes and things of that nature, A lot of
times it happened just a bit quicker. You're gonna get broken.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
The huddle at any point and gone ran into the
wrong spot, you know, because your muscle memory you're running
the right tackle and remember.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
You no not yet.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Is there any challenge like seen you left in right guard?
Is there any challenge you have to like mentally agree
for either position.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
I mean, just the fact of the matter of the playbook,
you know what I'm saying, Just uh, just making sure
that I don't get you know, crossed up, you know
what I'm saying, because sometimes I could line up on
the left side, but you know, mentally like a process
of play as the right side of player, So just
constantly having to be locked in, you know, schematically to
what we're trying to achieve. What's that like though?
Speaker 3 (03:43):
How do you try to like focus on that because
obviously you're doing left with one unit right with another.
They give me a little confusing.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
How do you try to just study in my playbook?
Getting in the book and uh, you just taking the
deep breath of going out there and playing football, you know,
because the fact of the matter, I know the plays,
i know what I'm being asked to do, and I
just go out there and try to execute to the
best of my abilities.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Most cards are not as tall as you, So what
is the advantage and is every disadvantage.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Of getting so tall? I can't really say, you know,
to be honest with you. I mean, I'm a big guy.
I take up a lot of space. But in in
terms of hype, uh, I can't think of a you know,
a tangible advantage being tall.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Hope that you could be the player the Giants drafted.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
You to be. I'm just focused on getting better each year,
being the player that I know I can be. You know,
I appreciate the Giants organization for continuing to believe in
me and UH giving me an opportunity to showcase my
skill set. So I'm focusing on getting better every single
day chopping wood and carrying water. We'll take three more
if you'll haven't.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
How much are you some period just the second team?
Sometimes you've come in during a period with the ones
the record, Like, how much are you aware of that
going into the.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Day or is it on the fly? Yeah, I'm I'm
aware before practice? So UH coach writes out the depth chart,
you know, in the morning before each practice. So I
take a look at that and I'm ready to go.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Is there any adjustment at a to you know, when
Russ is in there? You know, you've dealt with Daniel
and really tall quarterbacks with Russ is certainly not a
tall quarterback here. He's got to see over you. Is
there anything that you've noticed so far that this is
different because he's not a big guy.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
That's a better question for Russell himself to answer. You know.
I mean, I'm not back there, and i'd be I
can imagine that it'll probably be, you know, pretty tough
to see over our guys and massive is me, you know,
but you should ask him that question back not Yeah,
not yet.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Jane's been in the locker room. Just kind of adding
him to the next.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
He's been pretty good in the locker room. Good locker room,
got a good teammate, and uh, he works hard.
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