re: Class of 2019 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: That's a Wrap Edition

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BRADENTON, FL -- At 6-foot-7, well north of 300 pounds, Evan Neal has never had a problem standing out. Even at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, often the most impressive collection of high school football talent on any given prep roster across America, the offensive lineman has drawn attention for years.

It began with the combination of his size and athleticism more than two years ago when he began his IMG career, but it has morphed into a reflection of his improved play as a tackle prospect of late. Neal is now a 247Sports Composite five-star prospect and nearing the end of not only a longstanding recruitment, but a physical transformation that has some of the top college football programs in the country gunning for his commitment.

IMG head coach Kevin Wright was there when Neal arrived at the program following a freshman campaign at Okeechobee (Fla.) High School.

"When Evan first came, I had a little bit of insight on him, I saw his tape as a freshman, and he was a big, strong kid," he said. "He had good feet, he was an impressive human being for a 15-year-old. He and the family came down and talked about what they wanted to do, not just from a football standpoint, but from an academic standpoint to prepare him.

"Evan, from Day One, has continued to progress and grow. When you come here as a 15-year-old in this type of regimented system, you've got to be up, go to meetings, lift weights, go to practice, school, study table. Learning to balance your time on the weekends was also a little bit of a challenge for him as it would be for any 15-year-old. Add the fact that he had already been getting recruited before he got to us, but it was on potential because he was that size and at that age."

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"He's got an awesome opportunity. Finding an offensive lineman that can walk in and play as a true freshman is tough to do, but I think he can come in and do that."

In addition to excelling at his summer courses, now placing Neal on track to graduate in December and enroll at his school of choice in January, his versatility will help him get more reps at the position he's likely to play at the collegiate level.

"We run a lot of gap schemes, so the fact that we were pulling him as a guard means he's an athletic guy who can move out to tackle," Wright said of the last few seasons. "He asked me a few times last year, 'coach, I think I'm going to be a tackle.' I said, 'you probably are, I just need you at guard this year.' It's one of those situations based on personnel. We've had those guys, and he's been flexible enough to move him around, so he's always played tackle in practice.

"There's never been a question whether or not he could play tackle. I've always marveled at the fact that he can get on guys in space. Playing in a 4-yard box, with those arms and with that body and feet, there's no doubt he'll be okay at tackle. He can play both and he'll fit in most schemes." Wright added that Neal, as the case with most IMG Academy offensive linemen, has even taken considerable reps snapping the football, "just in case."

The 247Sports Composite tabs Neal as a five-star and the No. 25 overall prospect in the class of 2019. On 247Sports, he is No. 30 overall, top five among senior offensive tackle projections.

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BRADENTON, FL -- 2018 has already been a big year for Evan Neal, well before kicking off the football season Friday night.

The Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy five-star offensive line prospect, who has trimmed his frame while rounding out his game at the school over the last three years, had a big spring with college coaches tracking him ahead of an even bigger summer at offseason events like The Opening Finals -- part of which helped him ascend to five-star status.

But on Friday night, all Neal wanted was to play some real football, full pads, against a legitimate opponent instead of the IMG teammates and individuals in other settings he has competed against over the last several months. Moments before he was going to be able to do that Friday against Lake City (Fla.) Columbia High School, in a preseason setting, the school's lightning alarm sounded and pushed back kickoff for about an hour.

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Marc Tyson tore his ACL in high school, which limited his athletic ability. He focused on his classes once he enrolled at Alabama, and majored in civil engineering. He was a student when Paul Bryant died on January 26, 1983.

"It was terrible," Marc said. "The funeral riding from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham, it was the first time I realized how many people cared about him. I just knew him as my grandfather."

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