Why Alabama's Evan Neal Is the Only Sensible Choice with 1st Overall Draft Pick
After selecting quarterback Trevor Lawrence a year ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars are once again in a position to make the obvious and sensible choice with the No. 1 overall draft pick. Alabama's Evan Neal is the next logical step in the team's rebuilding process, as well as a prospect every bit worthy of the top selection.
Unlike Lawrence, Neal hasn't run the table as the class' premier talent. In fact, a blocker hasn't heard his name called first since Eric Fisher in 2013. Since then, teams selected only two blindside protectors among the top-five selections.
This year is a little different, though. Unlike other classes, quarterback prospects won't populate the top 10. A weak class of signal-callers pushes other positions of quality up the board. Besides, the Jaguars aren't in need of a quarterback, though the lack of such options makes the top pick less valuable from a trade perspective.
Neal shouldn't be viewed as a consolation prize. He fills a significant need for the Jaguars, addresses another premium position, provides first overall pick athletic traits and brings immense upside to any lineup.
From an overall perspective, Neal isn't the clear-cut top prospect among the incoming crop. Bleacher Report's Scouting Department ranks Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux slightly ahead of Neal, USC wide receiver Drake London and North Carolina State offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu. However, all four are similarly rated as the class' elite options.
For Jacksonville, a slight edge to another position shouldn't overshadow the fact that the team doesn't have a long-term answer at left tackle to protect Lawrence. Cam Robinson is a pending free agent after the organization inexplicably placed the franchise tag on the middling veteran tackle last offseason. The 26-year-old never lived up to expectations after Jacksonville selected the Outland Trophy winner with the 34th overall pick in 2017. For most of Robinson's career, he's been a replacement-level performer.
As a rookie, Lawrence played behind one of the league's worst offensive fronts, as Jacksonville graded among the bottom 10 units, according to Pro Football Focus. Walker Little remains on the roster after being a second-round selection last year, but Neal's addition could create a ripple effect along the front five. Right tackle Jawaan Taylor is scheduled to be a free agent after the 2022 campaign. Either the Jaguars can retain three quality tackles or they'll have two in place if Taylor chooses to leave in free agency. Meanwhile, the continued development of Little, plus the addition of Neal, gives the organization significant flexibility at a hard-to-fill position.
Lawrence essentially endured a lost rookie season under a clueless head coach who helped implement an uninspired offensive scheme and didn't add enough talent around the highest-rated quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck.
From this point forward, the goal in Jacksonville is simple: place Lawrence in a situation where he can be successful. The organization failed on this front a year ago and can't squander the opportunity to field an elite passer capable of elevating the franchise. To do so, the right pieces must be placed around Lawrence.
Sure, Thibodeaux and Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson should be considered, but the Jaguars already have first-round investments in edge-rushers Josh Allen and K'Lavon Chaisson. It falls upon Doug Pederson's new staff to maximize their capabilities.
With Allen and Chaisson already on the roster, the Jaguars can concentrate on left tackle as one of the primary building blocks.
Very few humans are 6'7" and 350 pounds, but in the case of the consensus All-American, his athleticism belies a man with his gargantuan frame.
"At his size, he is the most impressive lower body power athlete we have ever seen," Alabama director of sports science Matt Rhea told The Athletic's Bruce Feldman. "His jumping power is in the top 1 percent we have ever measured. At 350 pounds, he routinely hits box jumps at 48 inches."
For some, Neal's weight could be a cause for concern since 350-plus-pound athletes often struggle with fluctuations. In this case, Neal was considered one of the hardest workers at Alabama—which is a statement unto itself. Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban explained to Feldman what he's seen from the former 5-star recruit:
"Evan is very unique. He has great size, great athleticism, but most importantly, he's a hard worker. He has a lot of goals and aspirations for how good he wants to be and what his expectation is. He's a bit of a perfectionist in terms of how he goes about things. He's also got good intangibles. He plays with good toughness. He's got mental toughness. He works hard to get in shape. He spent a lot of time getting his body right. He used to be even bigger than he is now, but now he can sustain better. He's very assignment-conscious. He doesn't make a lot of mental errors.
“This guy does just about everything that you would like for the best players in your program to do to set a good example for other players."
Neal entered the Alabama program as the nation's top-ranked tackle prospect. Yet he began his career at left guard and then moved to right tackle before finishing at left tackle. The fact that he's just 21 years old shows how much potential he still possesses.
"Neal has ideal size with very good athletic ability, power and a well-rounded game," B/R scout Brandon Thorn mentioned. "He played three positions over as many years at Alabama, which gives him proven versatility across the line. It also signals that he hasn't come close to reaching his ceiling at his most likely home as a pro (left tackle) due to not having back-to-back seasons at the position."
At the same time, Thorn views Neal as the class' most pro-ready tackle option. The underclassman allowed only 24 pressures over the last two seasons between right and left tackle, per PFF. As a run-blocker, Neal graded in the 96th percentile in percentage of positively graded plays, according to PFF's Eric Eager.
Neal already flashes dominance at a young age even though he's far from a finished product.
A similar argument can be made in favor of Ekwonu as a fellow tackle prospect. In this instance, Neal's size, while being a better pass protector, gives him the edge.
"As a pass protector, Neal explodes out of his stance with silky footwork to get to his landmark under control and square with the weight distribution and posture to effectively mirror and cut off countermoves," Thorn wrote. "He has excellent length and powerful, jolting strikes to punch through the hands of rushers into their frame and latch with overpowering grip strength."
Jaguars offensive line coach Phil Rauscher can continue to work on Neal's balance and consistency with hand placement—two technical aspects that should come along as he becomes more comfortable in a single spot—and potentially see the tackle prospect blossom into a dominant force.
A smart investment isn't always the sexy one. Neal's potential selection with the No. 1 overall pick isn't going to sell more PSLs or lead to impressive jersey sales. The Jaguars already made such a move in last year's draft. Jacksonville's rebuilding plan should now shift toward adding another foundational building block in Neal.
Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.
