NFL Draft: Hot Take Tuesday - Ikem Ekwonu will be a Hall of Famer

In the 2022 draft class, one player on the offensive side of the ball who looks like he could end up in Canton is North Carolina State left tackle Ikem Ekwonu.

Author:
Jack Borowsky
Publish date:
Jan 25, 2022

Hot Take Tuesday: Ikem Ekwonu will be a Hall of Famer

Each draft class has a few special players who have the chance to end up with a Gold Jacket once their playing days are over. These blue-chip talents tend to go in the top five and dominate the NFL for over a decade. Last year's class featured two players, tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who look like they will have a chance to reach that level. It was evident on their college tape, as they both looked excellent dating back to their freshman seasons and continued to improve throughout their careers, before taking the league by storm in 2021.

In the 2022 draft class, one player on the offensive side of the ball who looks like he could end up in Canton is North Carolina State left tackle Ikem Ekwonu.

OT Ikem Ekwonu, North Carolina State

After Ekwonu finished his high school career, he took his talents to Raleigh, where he rotated at left tackle for the first five games of his career. In Week 7, Ekwonu made his first start against Syracuse and he held that starting position for the rest of the season.

His freshman tape was incredibly impressive for a player at such a young age. He displayed "grown-man power" and an extremely good understanding of where to be. His game against Clemson was particularly impressive, as Ekwonu looked like the best player on the field against one of the top defenses in the nation. At that point, it was easy to see that Ekwonu would develop into a legit NFL prospect.

For his efforts, Ekwonu was named a freshman All-America. Unlike a lot of players with a freshman season like the one Ekwonu had, there was no sophomore slump for him. He got a lot better, especially in the run game. He became a finisher, consistently putting defenders in the dirt. It didn't matter who Ekwonu went up against; he pancaked them. Ekwonu made several “wow” plays on film that were rare for an offensive lineman. Not only that, Ekwonu exhibited the ability to move around the offensive line, playing guard for the first four games of the season, before moving back to left tackle.

Going into his junior season, Ekwonu was considered a potential first-round pick. He had the versatility to play tackle or guard, was an elite run blocker and showed untapped potential. This season though, Ekwonu was on a mission and was the biggest riser of any offensive lineman in the nation.

On film, Ekwonu improved his overall technique and athleticism. He didn't lose reps in pass protection. Defenders struggled to win the outside track against Ekwonu, as he was able to kick out and use his length to drive them away from the pocket. Edge rushers also would lose reps when they tried to dip their shoulder under Ekwonu, as he has loose hips and can get low to stop them in their tracks. Power rushers had no shot against Ekwonu, as his power at the point of attack is hard to find.

In the run game, Ekwonu was elite as a freshman and sophomore, but as a junior, he was the best run blocker in the country. The second Ekwonu got a hold of defenders, he used his combination of power, elite technique and mauling mentality to move defenders. Ekwonu created gaping holes for ball-carriers to run through. When asked to work in space, Ekwonu always located defenders and drove them out of the play. At times it was as if Ekwonu was going up against high schoolers, with how dominant he was as a run defender.

With regard to his next-level projection, Ekwonu can be a high-level starting tackle in any scheme from Day 1. He has the “unteachables” and with the right development, could be the best left tackle in the NFL. Ekwonu has the talent to be the first player selected in the draft and it wouldn't be shocking to see him become a Hall of Fame caliber player by the end of his career.

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