Mock Draft Roundup: Kiper Projects Ikem Ekwonu to Jaguars at No. 1

'Tis the season for mock drafts, a yearly tradition in which media attempt to project how the second-biggest day on the NFL calendar plays out.

As we inch closer and closer to the 2022 NFL Draft, we will be tracking how other national media outlets are projecting the Jacksonville Jaguars to attack the draft and build around 2021 No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence.

The Jaguars still have a long way to go before deciding on the No. 1 overall pick in April, including figuring out their future direction at both head coach and general manager.

But until then, we can continue to debate the merits of the Jaguars' options at No. 1 overall and what the Jaguars could ultimately decide to do.

So, what is one potential scenario for the Jaguars at No. 1 overall? In this edition of Mock Draft Roundup, we take a look at what long-time ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper projects at No. 1 overall and what it could mean moving forward.

No. 1: OT Ikem Ekwonu, NC State

The position here is one we have commonly seen mocked to the Jaguars, though Kiper does take a leap and go with a non-Evan Neal offensive lineman. There have been other mock drafts, such as one by The Athletic's Dane Brugler, that have slotted Ekwonu at No. 1 overall and Kiper now ultimately follows suit.

"Offensive tackle or edge rusher here? I don't think the Jaguars are set either way. Realistically, this is down to four prospects: Ekwonu, Evan Neal, Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux. New coach Doug Pederson and the Jags will get an opportunity to meet with each of them at the combine. They'll get a front seat to all four on-field workouts, of course, but what goes on behind the scenes matters just as much," Kiper wrote.

A 6-foot-4, 320-pound lineman, Ekwonu will enter the NFL having experience at several positions. He started the final seven games of NC State's 2019 season at left tackle, becoming the first true freshman at NC State to start at tackle since 2010.

Ekwonu split time at left tackle and left guard in 2020. He started four games at guard and six at tackle, ending the year with second-team All ACC honors from the Associated Press at both guard and tackle.

Ekwonu had arguably his best season in 2021, starting another 11 games and earning unanimous All-American honors, as well as earning All-ACC placement and being named the Jacobs Blocking Award winner as the ACC's top lineman.

"Ultimately, I lean toward Jacksonville getting protection for quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who struggled as a rookie. This could go the other way if the organization brings back Cam Robinson in free agency, but Ekwonu -- who is a hot name among NFL teams -- would be an immediate upgrade," Kiper wrote.

"If the Jags can protect Lawrence with Ekwonu on the left side and Walker Little on the right, they can begin to turn around the offense. As McShay mentioned in his latest mock, 2013 was the last time an offensive tackle went No. 1 overall (Eric Fisher to the Chiefs)."

Kiper ends up slotting the other usual suspects to the next few draft slots. Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson went No. 2 to the Detroit Lions, Evan Neal went No. 3 to the Houston Texans and Kayvon Thibodeaux to the New York Giants at No. 5 overall.

Our View

Kiper isn't the first person to project Ekwonu to the Jaguars at No. 1 overall and he surely won't be the last, either. Especially with the fact that Ekwonu is set to test and take part in drills this weekend while Neal waits for his pro day, it should be expected that Ekwonu continues to get hype to be the pick at No. 1.

There is also something to the argument that Ekwonu may be a better fit for what the Jaguars are attempting to build on offense than Neal, who is a better fit for a gap scheme than a zone-blocking scheme. Ekwonu is a better lateral athlete than Neal is and is simply a better for a zone scheme, with his skill set making him an ideal run blocker in a scheme that places a high emphasis on mobility along the offensive line.

The primary concern would be in pass-protection, where Ekwonu has some issues in terms of oversetting and overall consistency. Ekwonu has as high of an upside as any offensive lineman in the draft and is a ready-made run-blocker, but he may need more seasoning at the NFL level before he can be trusted on an island in pass-protection consistently. When looking at the top three offensive tackles in the class, there is an argument to make that Ekwonu is the third-best pass blocker.

Ekwonu would also be a left tackle only. While Neal has an entire year of experience at right tackle under his belt and could give the Jaguars a duo between him and Walker Little that has comfort and flexibility at left and right tackle, Ekwonu shouldn't be considered a right tackle candidate.

As a result, taking him would mean putting him at left tackle and Little at right tackle. It remains to be seen if right tackle is a spot Little should play considering he didn't take a single offensive snap at the position at Stanford or in the NFL and has only spent time there in practice with the Jaguars.

Ekwonu has the talent and upside to warrant consideration at No. 1 overall. Add in his scheme fit and it wouldn't surprise me to see the Jaguars favor him over Neal. With all of this in mind, there is still some risk and projection involved.