NFL Breakout Candidates 2024: Panthers OT Ikem Ekwonu
Splitting time between left guard and tackle as a true sophomore at N.C. State, Ikem Ekwonu earned second-team All-ACC honors at both spots. The following year he settled in on the blindside and improved to first-team All-American. Yet, there was plenty of discussion in the lead-up to that 2022 draft about what would be his optimal position in the pros.
The Panthers made Ekwonu the first of three OTs selected in the top 10 that year (along with Alabama’s Evan Neal and Mississippi State’s Charles Cross) and kept him on the edge.
Following a rough three-week stretch to begin his debut season, Ikem Ekwonu turned himself into at least an average starting left tackle, only allowing more than two pressures in one other game. As Carolina started beating up opponents on the ground, averaging 152 rushing yards per contest from week seven onwards, people started to pay attention to this young offensive line.
After a promising rookie campaign, however, Ekwonu – along with the rest of the interior three – took a step back this past season. Pro Football Focus had the unit bottom-five in both run- and pass-blocking grades for the year. However, diving into the numbers and re-watching the tape, I would argue Ekwonu’s fall individually was largely exaggerated.
His overall grade from PFF slightly improved from 65.3 to 67.4 and while his sack total responsible for nearly doubled, that blurred some of the snap-to-snap play. He did allow every 6.0% of snaps compared to the 4.9% from his first season, but his run-blocking grade took a significant bump from 64.0 up to 77.0 and he was flagged three times fewer for 31 yards less (40) on 140 additional snaps.
Why Panthers OT Ikem Ekwonu could break out in the 2024 NFL season
Ikem Ekwonu packs an insane amount of vigor in his hands and when they are connected to his lower body, he can truly enforce his will in the run game. I love Ickey’s raw force to launch himself into a 2-technique head-up on the guard and just plow that guy off his space, blowing open the C-gap or creating room for a puller to come around behind him off a kick-out on the end-man at the line.
He’s sturdy in a way where he can swallow a punch, as he basically just walls off the backside defensive end. Although he can get a little lazy on those types of plays and allows guys to slip his blocks, to chase down the line and establish first contact with the running back.
Also read: NFL Breakout Candidates 2024: Bengals RB Chase Brown, Raiders RB Zamir White
On the front side of inside zone and or arriving as the second man on combos, Ekwonu will incorporate what is referred to as a “gallop technique” when required. Instead of potentially getting over too much leading into contact with the defender, he’ll add an extra step with the play-side foot and then lift up into contact.
In particular when the defense brings down a back-seven defender to the edge late or shifts the front, that can allow Ikem Ekwonu to toss guys out of the club. When peeling off doubles and progressing to the second level, he snatches up linebackers, with the ability to torque them to one hip and indicate where to go for the ball carrier, as he gets through the line of scrimmage.
The Panthers left tackle showcases impressive hip fluidity for a man of his dimension, being able to swivel his base around and secure scoop-backs on the backside of wide zone if given a helping hand by the guard. Although, his step-sequencing in order to overtake down-linemen could use refinement. And he’s shockingly nimble when asked to get out in space in the screen game.
Ikem Ekwonu may not be on the level of some of these truly elite athletes for the position at getting to certain spots, but the ease at which he gathers himself and progresses to third-level targets stood out to me on multiple occasions.
While Ekwonu doesn’t gain a ton of depth in his initial kick-set, he does get that foot back down quickly again and you don’t really see speed-rushers just beat him around the corner. Yet, neither does he have issues hunkering down against bigger EDGEs or interior linemen moved over him, if they try to use power against him.
Occasionally, he will fake a stab with the outside hand to make rushers declare against him, and something you see in those closer combats is being proactive with his arms like you see from the guys on the opposite side, lifting or pressing those limbs off himself and finding new anchor points as he places his hands back inside.
Even if his footwork isn’t always by the book, Ikem Ekwonu is typically able to make it work, as he has sort through different (delayed) pressure looks or has to slide in front of a looping lineman, squaring up and staying in front of them.
Often as rushers are about to win the outside shoulder on him, Ekwonu will deliver a forceful shove to push them past the quarterback and be able to guide them off traffic enough so they don’t affect that guy.
Now, he would jump out and throw his hands at times to widen the arc for rushers on quicker drops. As Bryce Young didn’t trust his receivers or they just didn’t get open, it would end up leading to QB hits/hurries to his name.
Where he does get himself in trouble is generally getting his weight shifted too far over his toes and dipping his head, which provides defenders opportunities to access his edges and slide off contact. Ekwonu uses his feet and hands as independent contractors a little too much as a pass-protector.
That’s why you’ll see him initiate contact with the outside hand while putting the same foot down, leading the motion with his outside hand instead of redirecting off the post-foot against cross-face moves, and generally allowing rushers to gain access to his chest by carrying his mitts fairly low.
Watching their Week 8 game versus Houston, you saw Jonathan Greenard really take him to school by angling his rushes with the momentum that he’s built up. Then being a great reactionary technician, he felt Ickey try to hold his ground but then made himself vulnerable in other ways.
So that’s one thing Ikem Ekwonu certainly needs to work on from a technical standpoint – becoming the one to establish first meaningful contact and bracing for that contact phase, to where he’s not forced to adjust as much. From a strength perspective, some of the things you see on tape with him should not be happening.
The Panthers' offense truly was a mess last season, finishing bottom-four in EPA, success rate and DVOA. None of the receivers outside of 33-year-old Adam Thielen, to a certain degree, could consistently create separation.
Some of the situational play-calling was puzzling and their numbers in the run game fell off pretty dramatically, and because they also couldn’t protect first overall pick Bryce Young, he wasn’t comfortable all year long.
Not only have they continued to address the skill-position group, but Carolina also paid their new guard tandem of Damien Lewis and Robert a combined average of just over 33 million dollars.
Allowing their sub-six-foot quarterback to have space and see the field will be key in turning things around, but also taking pressure off that guy with a more consistent run game.
With a shift to more of a gap-scheme approach on offense under new head coach Dave Canales can help out guys like Ikem Ekwonu, who operated in a zone-heavy approach at N.C. State. That could also make their play-action game more effective and take stress off their front with so many true dropbacks.