Why the Jaguars avoided a costly mistake by passing on Evan Neal in 2022

No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. They needed help across the roster and considered several directions, including offensive line reinforcement. With the seventh pick the New York Giants selected Alabama tackle Evan Neal, a player noted for positional versatility. Neal's ability to move inside or shift across the line made him a plausible target for Jacksonville if they'd decided to add depth up front.

Neal missed the 2025 season. Following that absence, the Giants offered him a one-year deal to rebound under a new regime. He did not make the final roster out of training camp and was released in final cuts. He later joined the Las Vegas Raiders' practice squad. That sequence—missed season, short opportunity, release, practice-squad signing—represents a clear decline in the player value expected of a top-10 draft pick.

Other players linked to Jacksonville in 2022—Aidan Hutchinson, Ikem Ekwonu, Kayvon Thibodeaux—have generally produced more consistent on-field results than Neal. The contrast matters because teams with top picks face a tradeoff between immediate need and long-term upside. The Jaguars prioritized an impact defender and landed Walker, whose statistical production and contract indicate the team's confidence in the choice.

Why this validates the Jags' draft call

Three concrete points make the case:

• Positional fit: Jacksonville already had Cam Robinson entrenched at left tackle. Neal could have been displaced inside, but that move would have involved development risk and delayed returns.
• Production comparison: Walker produced back-to-back 10-sack seasons, while Neal's career has stalled after injury and roster setbacks.
• Asset allocation: The Jags turned the pick into a foundational defender who stayed on the roster and earned a major extension, whereas Neal's value dropped to practice-squad level.

The Neal update does not rewrite history so much as emphasize the consequences of draft risk. When a top-10 pick fails to maintain roster status, it highlights the value of selecting for immediate, measurable impact at a position of clear team need. For Jacksonville, that translated into an edge rusher who has contributed reliably rather than an offensive lineman whose trajectory flattened after an early-career interruption.