2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Ikem Ekonwu

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Ikem Ekonwu, 6-4/320 Offensive Tackle N.C. State

Ikem Ekonwu Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Fierce run blocker

Blasts defenders and knocks them backward

Athletic

Agile

Lots of upside

Enough quickness to mirror speed rushers

Able to bend at the knee at the knee

Strong base to stop bull rushes

Can play the typewriter on the edge

Quick feet

Quick out of his stance

Good, thick build

Strong

Strength to sustain

Physical demeanor

Has a mean streak

Blocks through the whistle

Will toss defenders around

Enough length

Fast to the second level, open field

Ties up defenders

Functions well in space

Can hit blocks in space

Weaknesses:

Raw; technique needs development

Will bend at the waist at times

Can reach after blitzers at times

Gets in trouble when he doesn’t maintain good leverage

Hand placement needs improvement

Hands get too wide at times

Summary: Over the past three seasons, Ekonwu was an impressive blocker for the Wolfpack. He broke into the starting lineup in 2019, making his debut at left guard for four games prior to moving to left tackle for the final seven. Ekonwu played guard and tackle again in 2020 and then left tackle in 2021. After his third season, Ekonwu announced he was skipping his senior year to enter the 2022 NFL Draft.

Ekonwu has some real nastiness in the ground game, where he is a fierce run blocker. Ekonwu blocks through the whistle and is very physical at the point of attack. He has a bad attitude, getting violent with defenders, pushing them around, and challenging them to hold their gaps. Ekonwu is quick out of his stance and fires to the second level. It is rare to see offensive linemen who are as fast as Ekonwu is in a straight line, and he is a real asset to get downfield on screens. Ekonwu is a smooth mover in space, so that combined with his drive-blocking ability makes him a great fit for either a zone-blocking or power man-blocking scheme in the NFL.

As a pass blocker, Ekonwu is very gifted, possessing a combination of athleticism, quickness and agility. He has quick feet to get depth in his drop to take away the edge from speed rushers. He also has natural strength to anchor and stop bull rushes. Ekonwu is a smooth mover with the power to finish off defenders and to keep them from putting pressure on the quarterback.



For the NFL, Ekonwu has some areas he can stand to improve because he is somewhat raw and could use some development in his technique. Sometimes, his hands get too wide, and improving his hand placement will help him to capitalize on his excellent strength. Ekonwu can also get sloppy and bend at the waist at times. He has the ability to use his feet to get in position and not lunge after defenders. After some pro coaching, Ekonwu should have improved technique in the early portion of his career.

Ekonwu looks like a future starting left tackle in the NFL, and he could end up being a very good pro. He is worthy of being selected in the middle of the first round in the 2022 NFL Draft.



Player Comparison: Jedrick Wills. Ekonwu reminds me of Wills coming out of Alabama. Both were fierce run blockers with the quickness and athleticism to block on the edge. Wills has played well to open his career, and Ekonwu could be a similar style blocker in the NFL.

2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Adam Anderson, OLB, Georgia Calvin Austin, WR, Memphis Tyler Badie, RB, Missouri Amaré Barno, OLB, Virginia Tech Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson David Bell, WR, Purdue Nik Bonitto, OLB, Oklahoma Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas Zachary Carter, DE, Florida Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin Lewis Cine, S, Georgia Damone Clark, LB, LSU Micheal Clemons, DE, Texas A&M Bryan Cook, S, Cincinnati James Cook, RB, Georgia Yusuf Corker, S, Kentucky Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State Nick Cross, S, Maryland Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA Arnold Ebiketie, DE, Penn State Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida Ikem Ekwonu, OT, N.C. State Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State Kingsley Enagbare, DE, South Carolina Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota Luke Fortner, C, Kentucky Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner, CB, Cincinnati Luke Goedeke, G, Central Michigan Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State Logan Hall, DE, Houston Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame Christian Harris, LB, Alabama Daxton Hill, S, Michigan Chasen Hines, G, LSU Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan Ed Ingram, G, LSU Drake Jackson, DE, USC Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State Zion Johnson, G, Boston College Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois Cam Jurgens, C, Nebraska George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah Drake London, WR, USC Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State Boye Mafe, DE, Minnesota Phidarian Mathis, DT, Alabama Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington Verone McKinley, S, Oregon John Metchie, WR, Alabama Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming David Ojabo, DE, Michigan Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State Cade Otton, TE, Washington Evan Neal, OT, Alabama Josh Paschal, DE, Kentucky Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa Nick Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State George Pickens, WR, Georgia Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas Brian Robinson, RB, Alabama Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State Jamaree Salyer, G, Georgia Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M Derek Stingley, CB, LSU Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon Cameron Thomas, DE, San Diego State Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor Kenneth Walker, RB, Michigan State Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State Quay Walker, LB, Georgia Travon Walker, DE, Georgia Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State Zamir White, RB, Georgia Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama Malik Willis, QB, Liberty Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M

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