The Carolina Panthers have themselves a keeper in Ikem Ekwonu, and we’ve known it since the moment he was drafted.
With the 2022 regular season at a close, NFL.com media analyst and draft buff Daniel Jeremiah updated his rookie rankings for this year’s class. Coming in at No. 13 is the No. 6 overall pick in Ekwonu.
Jeremiah writes:
“The former N.C. State star had some struggles early on, but his natural ability really started to show as the season progressed. He’s a devastating run blocker and has improved as a pass protector.”
Those early struggles saw the left tackle relinquish three sacks in his first two pro games. But he’d grow as the season did, allowing three sacks over his final 15 outings.
Ekwonu’s improvement as a pass protector earned him a 67.5 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus—a higher mark than fellow first-round left tackles in Seattle’s Charles Cross (63.9) and Dallas’ Tyler Smith (64.2). His 64.0 run-blocking grade ain’t to shabby either.
So, for the first time in a long time, it seems like Carolina’s blindside is in good hands.
