Miami, FL: Some of the nation’s top talent was in attendance for the first Nike Opening combine of the off-season held in Miami and one player who continues to show everyone why he’s one of the top players in the nation was IMG Academy offensive tackle Evan Neal, who won the offensive line MVP award.
"It’s a blessing honestly,” Neal said. "My mindset coming into the camp was to be patient, trust my technique, and just dominate.”
Neal has been on the national scene since his freshman year at Okeechobee HS when he was committed to Alabama; fast-forward three years later, and Neal will be entering his senior year this season. He’s ready to make his final year the best year possible.
"I want to get better at everything,” Neal said. “It’s my last ride as a senior now and I want this to be the best season ever. I want to improve my speed, my quickness, my blocking and pretty much everything because if I get better than the team will be better and I just want to win.”
For a player like Neal who has been on the scene since his freshman year, schools are coming at him very hard now since he will be signing in December. What schools are recruiting him the hardest?
"There are a few teams honestly,” Neal said. “Miami, FSU, Oklahoma, Georgia, A-lot of ACC and SEC schools are coming at me really hard. I can’t really say who’s recruiting me the hardest because everyone is recruiting me hard, but one coach that’s doing a great job is (offensive line) coach Searels at Miami.”
Family is very important to someone like Evan Neal and, when it comes to college football, there’s one team that his family pledges it’s allegiance to: the Miami Hurricanes.
“That’s my family,” Neal said. “I have family ties to Miami, the tradition is amazing and I’ve been a Hurricane since I was born. When I was younger I had a whole Hurricane outfit with the helmet and everything, but at the end of the day, I have to make the best decision for me and Miami is in contention for my services.”
Neal says his recruitment is open right now, but when I asked him about what would be some of the deciding factors in his recruitment, he had this to say.
“I’m actually still trying to figure that honestly, but I want the school I go to have a winning mentality, I want to work hard, I want the players and the coaches to have a great relationship, and I just want to win football games.”
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