Ikem Ekwonu profile: Why the Carolina Panthers drafted the OT in the NFL Draft

With the 6th overall pick in the 1st round, the Carolina Panthers selected Ikem Ekwonu. Here’s what we know about the player.

Ikem Ekwonu's Strengths

At 6’4” and 320 pounds Ekwonu was a three-star offensive tackle recruit in 2019. He started the final seven games of his true freshman season at left tackle and then started four of the ten games in 2020 at left guard (with the rest at his usual LT spot), earning second-team All-ACC honors in both spots. As a junior, he played left tackle full-time and took his game to the next level, earning first-team All-American honors.

The Athletic called him “the most feared lineman in the ACC” for the way he blows defenders off the ball in the run game. He achieves this due to how well his hands and feet are synced. Ekwonu accelerates his feet through contact and is looking to embarrass you in front of your friends and family. He can really widen the B-gap on the front-side of zone runs, turning the backside of defenders towards the sideline and then forcing them that way.

He also creates a lot of movement coming in at an angle for combo-blocks and then covers up linebackers on the second level. You often see him grab underneath, the side of shoulder pads or arm-pit and create torque that way. This controls the defender’s momentum, routinely throwing guys to the play-side shoulder, who try to stay square against zone-blocking and limit the flow. Ekwonu has improved his ability to work across the face of interior defenders and seal them on the backside of runs. Often times he basically uses a rip-move in order to get that far hip out in front.

There are instances on tape where he absolutely buries some linebackers, keeping those legs of his churning. N.C. State has used him to toss end-man out of the club on kickouts and as lead-blocker pulling around, where he just becomes a freight-train.

While Alabama OT Evan Neal’s impact run-block percentage of 17.4% of snaps is impressive (especially in the SEC), Ekwonu blows that out of the water at 25.9%. The Wolfpack had him peel off and get out on the corner on some backside slip screens off the run-action and he threw players through the air.

In the pass game, Ekwonu’s long arms and strong lower body are major benefits in forcing edge rushers to run a rounder arc, to get to the quarterback. Once he gets a hold of those guys, they have a tough time getting away from him.

He now gets a lot more depth with his kicks and he has really improved his technique overall, especially his weight distribution. By keeping that post-leg ready to mirror inside slants/counters and getting his base in position to pick up loopers, he consistently takes guys off their path.

There have been very few snaps where guys were able to go through him. His awareness for twists and just when to make up space to his guard in order to help out against B-gap rushers is impressive for a man of his stature. He will dish out some devastating shots, if he’s passed off his man or another drops out and he gets a chance to level somebody from the side.

He has such force in his hands that even when he’s late to recognize somebody, he can still deliver a serious pop at them. He can counter the hands of rushers, often times lifting them high, to take them off balance for a moment.

After consecutive grades above 80 by PFF, Ekwonu had his best season as a pass-protector as the N.C. State blindside protector last season, surrendering just three sacks and ten hurries on 500 pass-blocking snaps.

Ikem Ekwonu's Weaknesses

The only real negative about Ekwonu as a run-blocker is the fact that he wants to bury defenders too much. He can’t always keep the landmarks for his hands centered and slips off blocks late.

While he has improved a lot compared to 2020, Ekwonu does still play with high and wide hands in pass-protection, his strikes down from the hips have a longer wind-up, which will help opponents time their hand-swipes accordingly.

There remains room to grow with his ability to sustain that half-man relationship and force edge rushers to run themselves past the quarterback. He almost exclusively took angular sets in that Wolfpack offense and his weight shifts too far to the outside foot sometimes, leaving the B-gap open. I believe he will have some issues against up-and-under maneuvers just because he doesn’t have the easy movement skills like some others.

Conclusion

Ekwonu is a joy to watch as he gets after people in the run game. I don’t think any lineman overall is quite at that level in terms of explosiveness into contact. At the combine, he ran a 4.97 in the 40 and moved incredibly easily during the field workouts, reiterating what an impressive athlete he is. With his great power, he can be very effective on the edge.

As great a tackle prospect as Ekwonu is, his potential at guard may be even higher because he has a lower center of gravity compared to most at that position, creating that force from the bottom. Either way, he has the potential to be a perennial Pro Bowler.

This could be a real steal for the Panthers.

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