Alabama football has had some great offensive linemen in the Nick Saban era, but none as freakishly athletic as Evan Neal.
He continues to baffle the Crimson Tide’s strength staff with his talents. Before the start of the 2020 season, David Ballou shared a video to Twitter of Neal executing a perfect box jump.
The 6-foot-7, 360-pounder has an incredible explosion and balance with his movements.
Today, Matt Rhea recorded his power on split jumps. The Director of Performance Science was blown away when Neal registered 5,808 watts.
He posted the information on Twitter, stating how the junior is a different type of athlete.
@ENeal73 hit 5808 watts on a split jump today. 2000 watts is good. We’ve got a lot of guys over 4000 now but 5808 is the highest number I’ve ever seen….by far! This guy is different. pic.twitter.com/5SOvAdpmNN
— Matt Rhea, PhD (@MattRheaPhD) June 28, 2021
Most strength coaches consider 2,000 watts on a split jump to be good; however, Alabama’s had a lot of players at 4,000+ watts.
According to Rhea, Neal raised the bar in hitting the ‘highest number he’s ever seen by far.’
The former five-star is projected as a first-round pick for the 2022 NFL Draft. Daniel Jeremiah, an analyst for NFL Network, loves Neal’s size and ability to finish plays.
RELATED: NFL Draft analyst compares Alabama’s Evan Neal to a former Pro Bowl offensive lineman
If he can maintain his balance and neutralize speed rushers, Neal may be a top-10 pick.
He is in a position to win the Outland Trophy and SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy this season.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
