Eli Manning reveals his dream Giants lineup
Eli Manning's 57,023 passing yards and 366 touchdowns over 16 seasons are light years ahead of every other quarterback in Giants history, and a part of his success is due to the talented pass-catchers he played with.
The two-time Super Bowl MVP recently sat down for a chat with Cam Newton on the free agent QB's YouTube show 'Funky Friday' where Manning was presented with an interesting scenario.
"If I put the ball on the 20-yard line, you have to go 80 yards to score with, let's say, three minutes and 15 seconds left … you're down by four, though," Newton stated. "Who are you rocking with?"
Manning began by saying his preferred formation would be 11 personnel, meaning he would have three wide receivers, one tight end and one running back surrounding him. As for which players he would choose for each of those spots, the legendary Giants QB made some intriguing picks.
Outside Receiver No. 1: Plaxico Burress (Teammates with Manning from 2005-2008)
Slot Receiver: Victor Cruz (2010-2016)
Outside Reciever No. 2: Odell Beckham Jr. (2014-2018)
Tight End: Kevin Boss (2007-2010)
Running Back: Tiki Barber (2004-2006)
While Manning did mention Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw when discussing the running back position, the longtime Giants QB noted how the veteran Barber really helped him at the start of his career.
"Tiki, he saved me early on in my career," Manning said, "and probably made me look better than I was at certain times in certain games. He was a heck of a running back."
Photos from the career of two-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback Eli Manning
Kyle Flood: No moment too big for Evan Neal
Offensive lineman Evan Neal started double-digit games at a different position in each of his three collegiate seasons while at Alabama. He opened 13 games at left guard in 2019, 12 at right tackle in 2020 and 15 at left tackle in 2021, highlighting the young lineman's true versatility.
It is because of this extensive experience at three different positions that Kyle Flood, the former Alabama offensive line coach who spent two seasons with Neal before becoming the offensive coordinator at Texas, believes the No. 7 overall pick can slide in at either tackle or guard spot.
"I think he can fit in just about anywhere…" Flood told Lance Medow on the Giants Huddle podcast. "He's a very unique combination of size, flexibility and explosion. I think that's why he can play both. When you play guard, you really need to be a short area explosive player to win the line of scrimmage inside. Everything kind of happens faster in there than it does at tackle. But at tackle, you have to have the spatial awareness, you have to have the length, you have to have the ability to stop and start your body in space, and he does that really well, too. Left side, right side, he can play either side. Guard, tackle, he can be a really effective player I think at any of those four spots. I think the Giants will find that as they work with him through minicamp and training camp."
Within the first week of arriving at Alabama, the position coach held one-on-one meetings with many of his players, including Neal. Flood told the incoming freshman he wasn't sure if he would play tackle or guard that season, as the Crimson Tide already had Jedrick Wills (2020 first-round pick) and Alex Leatherwood (2021 first-round pick) slotted in at the two tackle spots.
Despite being one of the top offensive tackle recruits in the country, Neal ensured his coach that it did not matter where he put him - all he cared about was getting on the field and helping the team win. So, it did not surprise Flood to hear Neal talk about playing anywhere on the line that during the pre-draft process.
"It was perfect, because that's exactly his attitude," said Flood. "I can tell you that was his attitude as a freshman in college, and it doesn't surprise me one bit that it still is his attitude."