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There were plenty of surprises in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Travon Walker first overall instead of Aidan Hutchinson, and the Houston Texans took cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. third overall. One of the least surprising picks of the first round was when the Carolina Panthers took tackle Ikem Ekwonu sixth overall. This was an immediate slam-dunk pick, and it could prove to be one of the best in the draft. Ekwonu was the biggest steal in the top 10 picks, and he could be the biggest steal in the entire draft.
Before the draft, there was talk of Ekwonu going as the first overall pick. If the Jaguars had selected him, no one would have batted an eye. His vicious run-blocking, technical proficiency in pass protection, and versatility made him the best lineman in this class. The NC State product stands 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds, giving him an NFL-type frame. Even better is the fact that he's only 21 years old. Ekwonu is already fantastic, but he has the chance to grow into something truly special. He will likely be a Pro Bowler within a couple seasons of his NFL career.
It took an unprecedented run on defensive players for Ekwonu to fall to the Panthers. Five defensive players were taken at the top of the draft for the first time since 1991, allowing the best offensive lineman to fall into Carolina's lap. Ekwonu is already the best offensive lineman on the Panthers. He should take over at left tackle for Cameron Erving, immediately patching up a huge hole on the roster. His presence actually turns Carolina's offensive line into a fairly good one. With new signings Bradley Bozeman and Austin Corbett playing on the interior and Taylor Moton at right tackle along with Ekwonu, this Panthers line should be average at the very worst.
The positional value of left tackle also makes this pick a huge steal. Ekwonu plays one of the most important positions in all of sports, making him even more valuable. Now Carolina will have five years of good left tackle pay at a dirt-cheap salary because of Ekwonu's rookie contract. They won't have to worry about bringing in high-priced free agents, as players at tackle often demand massive contracts after their rookie deal is up. Five years of good tackle play is worth tens of millions of dollars, and Ekwonu will almost surely be providing that play for significantly less money.
Another important factor in this pick is that it fills a position of need. The Panthers were one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL last year, as they allowed a whopping 52 sacks. Carolina also consistently struggled to run the ball, averaging only four yards per carry. Both of those numbers were among the worst in the NFL. The offensive line clearly needed to be addressed, and the Panthers did just that with Ekwonu. Being able to address one of the biggest needs on the roster without trading up or reaching is a huge achievement, and Carolina just pulled it off.
The Panthers obviously still need to find that franchise quarterback, because it probably is not Sam Darnold. But no matter who's under center, they will now have a stud at left tackle to protect them. That's a big win for Carolina.
