The Carolina Panthers have been searching for a franchise left tackle ever since Jordan Gross retired back in 2013. They’ve rotated various options at the position with varying degrees of success, from Michael Oher during their Super Bowl run, to the disaster that was Cameron Erving.
They’ve finally found their man, and he’s enjoying a meteoric rise to the upper echelon of NFL taackles
Ikem Ekwonu was drafted No. 6 overall in the 2022 NFL draft, the first offensive tackle off the board in a strong class at the position. He was considered by many as the best tackle in the draft, and for good reason.
An ultra-athletic big man with a mean streak, Ekwonu possesses elite awareness that creates a deadly combination in the run game as well as the pass game. He was well-known as a mauler in the run game at North Carolina State, making opposing defenders disappear into the void and reappear 10 yards down the field. This has directly translated to the NFL game, as Ekwonu has led one of the top running games in the league.
Ikem Ekwonu since Week 4:
0 sacks allowed
3 pressures allowed78.3 PFF Grade (4th among OTs)
82.2 pass blocking grade (8th among OTs)
71.7 run blocking grade (15th among OTs) pic.twitter.com/Enn2kdYY3g— PFF CAR Panthers (@PFF_Panthers) October 24, 2022
While his opening game was a rough learning experience, giving up two sacks and a handful of pressures against All-Pro Myles Garrett, Ekwonu has shown marked improvement since that debut. Over the last three games, Ekwonu has graded out as the best rookie offensive tackle, and one of the top tackles overall in the NFL, only allowing one more sack since opening day.
According to Pro Football Focus, Ekwonu has had a pass blocking grade over 70.0 every game since Week 2, an impressive feat for a rookie who has been thrown into the fire of what was a train wreck of an offensive line.
Ekwonu is a major part of the Caroina’s resurgence in the offensive trenches, and should be a cornerstone of the franchise for the next decade and beyond.
