It was really only a matter of time. The Abdul Carter hype train has been barreling through New York Giants training camp like it’s running on rocket fuel, and now it might’ve just derailed one of the more interesting stories Giants fans had going on offense.
Evan Neal’s switch to guard had been going about as well as anyone could’ve realistically hoped. It wasn’t perfect, but it was trending positive. The former first-rounder has definitely looked more comfortable since moving inside. He was putting together a good camp. Big Blue legends were buying the hype. Greg Van Roten even went out of his way to call it a challenge, which felt like a subtle nod that Neal was starting to at least make things interesting.
Related: Giants veteran says the quiet part out loud about Evan Neal’s camp progress
Aaaand then Abdul Carter may or may not have… but definitely almost absolutely blew that storyline to pieces before it ever really got the legs.
Abdul Carter torched Evan Neal… and suddenly everything feels different
During Wednesday’s padded practice, Carter made sure everyone saw what happens when you put a rookie phenom against a top-10 pick trying to salvage his career. According to SNY’s Connor Hughes, he didn’t just beat Neal — he got off the line so fast the coaches blew the play dead before Russell Wilson could even react.
That’s not an exaggeration. That’s a defensive player getting into the backfield so fast that it caused a literal stoppage in play. And while that obviously makes Neal look bad, it might honestly just say more about what Carter is becoming.
The No. 3 overall pick is on a different kind of trajectory. He’s been lining up everywhere across the formation, embarrassing veterans, and putting together one of the most impressive camps this team’s seen in years. He just looks so natural out there… with the obvious caveat that it’s still only training camp. But still. It feels different.
There’s still a world where Neal figures it out and pushes Van Roten for the starting job. The G-Men would probably like that to happen. But there’s also a reality where it doesn’t matter what version of Neal shows up, because Carter is going to ruin whoever’s in front of him anyway. That might be the real takeaway here.
This is so much more than just a tiny red flag for Neal’s transition. It’s a preview of what the NFC East might be dealing with for the next decade-plus. Giants fans should be excited, and maybe even a little terrified, by what this all means.
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