Film Watched: Texas A&M 2021, LSU 2021, Florida 2021
Pro's:
Huge offensive tackle who carries his weight as if he’s 100lbs lighter. Almost looks slender!
Impressive quickness for his size; eager out of his stance and hits his marker in good time
Ferocious power from his lower half which he uses to explode into contact
Ridiculously long arms to lock out threats
Power transfer from legs through body to arms is startling – delivers heavy blow on first contact
Graceful, smooth kick slide that has him in place and ready for engagement
Immaculate technique; classic Alabama product with well coached hand placement & footwork
Able to reset and re-engage effortlessly
Careful not to over-set and leave his inside exposed
Con's:
Weight fluctuation during college career a concern; moves much better when a little lighter
Hard to keep pad height down – very tall & can be beaten with leverage by powerful bull rushes
A lack of nasty about him; want him to dominate mentally as well as physically
The Verdict:
“There is no more polished offensive tackle prospect in this draft class than Evan Neal. Excellently coached like most Alabama o-line products are, Neal matches his flawless technique with incredible size and length that gives you the perfect blend of everything you want in a blindside protector. The big concern for Neal is controlling his weight better than he did in Tuscaloosa; the transformation he showed as a senior was startling playing fifteen pounds lighter, and it made him a much more effective pass protector - his agility improving as a result. He looked phenomenal at the combine, and if he continues to maintain that discipline then he’s a pro bowl level tackle worthy of a top-three selection.”
PREVIOUSLY THE FOUNDER OF NFL DRAFT UK, SIMON HAS BEEN COVERING COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND THE NFL DRAFT SINCE 2009. BASED IN MANCHESTER, SIMON IS ALSO CO-CREATOR & WEEKLY GUEST OF THE COLLAPSING POCKET PODCAST.