Evan Neal Summer Scouting Report
Next up on our summer scouting series War Room Scouting takes a look at Alabama right tackle Evan Neal
Background
Evan Neal is a player that has always been a man amongst boys on the football field. Coming in with a 6’7 - and 360 pound frame it is easy to find Neal’s presence in a given game. Playing his high school football at the reputable and well established IMG Academy located in Bradenton, Florida it would not be hard for Neal to propel himself into a top tackle prospect. According to 247 Sports Recruiting Rankings Neal graded as the best tackle prospect in the country and a top three prospect in the state of Florida with the overall grade being 0.9946 (5 Star).
Neal would decide to take his talents to the University of Alabama to play for Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide. He looks to follow the lineage of first round Alabama offensive tackles under the development of Saban with former picks being Andre Smith (2009, Cincinnati Bengals), James Carpenter (2011, Seattle Seahawks), D.J. Fluker (2013, San Diego Chargers), Jonah Williams (2019, Cincinnati Bengals), and Jedrick Wills (2020, Cleveland Browns).
Coming into the 2019 season Neal would contribute right away as a true freshman. Despite his natural position being tackle the coaching staff at Alabama trusted Neal as a left guard in his first season in college football. While this would appear to be a detrimental move in Neal’s development it proved to be the opposite as he would start all 13 games and would contribute to an 11-2 season. Neal would finish the season assisting in a 35-16 win against Michigan in the 2020 Vrbo Citrus Bowl. His meaningful contribution as a true freshman would earn him consensus Freshman All - American honors showing that his highly regarded high school profile was a warranted one.
2020 would be the year in which Neal would return to his roots as he would be placed at right tackle. Starting in all 13 games Neal would make another meaningful contribution to the Alabama offense but this time he would end his season with an undefeated record of 13-0. He and the Alabama Crimson Tide would appear in the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship and would win against Ohio State to a score 52-24. Neal was a stable contribution to the Alabama offense throughout the season which earned him Alabama’s Up Front Award, a team award that is given to the most “outstanding lineman from each unit.”
Entering 2021 Neal will look to continue his consistent play along the Crimson Tide offensive line protecting new sophomore starting quarterback Bryce Young.
Positives
Aggressive / willing blocking style
The first trait in Neal’s game that translates both in the run and pass game is the brand of intensity in which Neal blocks. In pass sets Neal commonly lunges at defenders when coming out of his stance to eliminate both space and time for edge defenders to plan their rush. Against pass rushers that play a physical brand of football Neal quickly neutralizes their attempts to gain meaningful ground and leverage in their rush by cutting off space leaving them stalled in their tracks performing limited and decipherable counter moves that Neal commonly picks up. When blocking in run sets Neal’s aggressiveness further helps him when he down blocks his specified gap. Because of his willingness to quickly latch onto his target he can efficiently execute his role in a run gap scheme allowing for more space and clarity for the running back behind him.
Power at the point of attack
Combined with an aggressive mentality post snap Neal combines his willing nature with a noticeable element of power. In pass protection Neal displays good power in his hands after his initial setup to disrupt the arc and stall the plan of an emerging pass rusher. In utilizing his power Neal has the upper hand when it comes to leverage due to the initial power he generates in his punch, this leaves defenders unbalanced with their pad level uneven and their chest compromised in their rush. With the defender’s chest exposed Neal consistently finds ways to latch and redirect them off their spot to minimize pressure being put on the pocket making him an imposing and reliable presence on the Alabama offensive line. In run sets Neal’s power is further showcased when he needs to clear up his assigned gap for the running back. At the point of attack Neal consistently uproots defenders off their spots clearing runways for his running back. Neal does this by showing good knee bend which allows himself to roll his hips towards the defender forcefully redirecting him away from his gap. Because of Neal’s power in both the run and pass game he is relied upon to clear out space and runways for the Alabama offense.
Grip strength
As aggressiveness and power are the foundation of Neal’s blocking ability, he finalizes these traits with strong grip to latch onto defenders. In pass sets Neal’s aggressiveness to block his assignment is warranted due to his ability to stick onto defenders once he places his hands inside their chest. Neal’s hand placement and power helps him showcase a strong and pesky grip on defenders leaving them stalled and sometimes frustrated when their pass rush plan becomes exposed. Over the course of games Neal’s grip hardly falters leaving many defenders that rely on strength over speed in their pass rush to become limited in their impact. Similar results are shown in the run game as Neal’s grip and power at the point of attack not only helps him clear significant lanes for his running back, but it also helps him stay on the defender rarely allowing leverage to be reestablished.
Negatives
Blocking against speed
A weakness that is noticeable when watching a player with Neal’s frame is his issue with speed on the edge. While Neal does get the best of edge rushers that rely on power, he has not fared well against defenders that rely on pure speed. Because of Neal’s frame he frequently finds himself too labored in his kick slide to close the arc of faster edge rushers leaving the edge exposed and compromised. As defenders continue to get faster (particularly in the SEC) Neal will need to improve on his quickness and movement skills out of his stance against speed to preserve the edge he is assigned to protect.
Blocking in space
Just as Neal struggles against speed around the edge in pass protection he also faces difficulty when attempting to block in space in both the run and pass game. In situations in which Neal is tasked with climbing up to the second level (particularly against) linebackers he struggles to hit his landmark due to his imposing but labored size. Because of this most linebackers quickly slip over Neal’s attempted blocks due to the advantage they possess both in speed and quickness. As Neal continues to refine his game, he will need to improve his blocking in space in order to make himself a scheme diverse tackle.
Games Watched
vs Auburn (2020), vs Missouri (2020), vs Notre Dame (2020)
Scheme Fit
Best if utilized as a right tackle in a man blocking scheme where he can overpower defenders with power in one-on-one situations.
Grade
1.2 (Player that falls in between numbers 11-22).
Pro Comparison: Orlando Brown Jr.
Neal’s pro comparison is former Baltimore Ravens and current Kansas City Chiefs tackle Orlando Brown Jr. Neal presents similar traits and qualities to the game of Orlando Brown Jr. when he was a tackle prospect coming out of Oklahoma in the 2018 NFL Draft. Both players possess a large and imposing frame for the position and have the power and leverage in their game to consistently move defenders and clear runways at the point of attack.
Final Summary
Evan Neal is a tackle prospect that stands out from most others at his respective position. Having a 6’7- and 360-pound frame and the power to out leverage defenders at a consistent basis it isn’t hard to notice Neal’s skillset. Valuable in both the run and pass game Neal’s power to clear space and runways will be an asset to any team. However, with this size and power come some areas of improvement, Neal will need to refine his play against faster edge rushers and will need to hone his skills as a blocker in space. If Neal can show significant improvement in those categories, he has all the makings of becoming a valuable tackle prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft class.
