Evan Neal explains how Brian Daboll's Alabama tenure will ease NFL transition

Former Alabama offensive lineman Evan Neal will player under former Alabama offensive coordinator Brian Daboll after being selected No. 7 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. Although he never played under him, many of Daboll’s ideas continued into the future at Alabama, and the two crossed paths during the recruitment process years ago.

During his introductory press conference alongside No. 5 overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux, Evan Neal described how Brian Daboll’s time at Alabama makes the transition to the NFL easier for him.

“I talked a good amount with coach Daboll and the o-line coach,” said Neal. “I got on Zoom a couple times and just installed the playbook. It’s cray that coach Daboll was the offensive coordinator at Alabama so a lot of scheme things and concepts aren’t foreign to me, I‘ve seen them before. So it’s going to be a real help trying to come in with the playbook for sure.”

After spending 2017 at Alabama as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Daboll made a quick rise through the NFL ranks as an offensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills before taking over as head coach of the New York Giants this year.

More about Evan Neal

Evan Neal was a three-year starter along Alabama’s offensive line before leaving for the NFL.

He arrived in 2019 and almost immediately assumed the starting role at left guard. Then as a sophomore, he kicked over to right tackle. Despite being somewhat uncomfortable in his new role initially, Neal was thriving as usual by the end of 2020. Then this past season, he showed off even more versatility by moving to Bryce Young’s blindside.

In his three seasons with the Crimson Tide, he helped guide the offense to two College Football Playoff berths, including a national title in 2020.

After starting 40 games, Neal broke through and was named a consensus first-team All-American by the AFCA, FWAA and The Sporting News. At 6-foot-7, 337 pounds, he’s got everything an NFL team is looking for in a future All-Pro offensive tackle.

Neal is also now the ninth offensive lineman out of Alabama to be selected in the first round of the draft.

Coming out of high school, Neal was a five-star prospect who was rated as the nation’s No. 5 overall player, No. 1 offensive tackle and No. 2 player from the state of Florida, according to the On3 Consensus rankings.