5 Panthers on Thin Ice Heading Into the NFL Draft
By Joe Summers
4. Ikem Ekwonu - LT
A common theme for these players is a need to justify another contract long-term. Are you part of the foundation that will lift the Panthers out of obscurity or are you replaceable?
Ikem Ekwonu, who was taken sixth overall in 2022 out of NC State, has been the latter so far in his career. He surrendered 11 sacks last season, tied for the third-most among all tackles, and hasn't proven he can handle powerful speed rushers on the outside. When you have a small QB like Young, that creates problems.
Jonathan Greenard tossing a 6-4, 320lb grown man (Ikem Ekwonu) into the dirt, on his way to sacking Bryce Young 💪 pic.twitter.com/d2q9mTOJud
— Jordan Pun (@Texans_Thoughts) October 30, 2023
Left tackle is among the most important positions when building a roster around an inexperienced signal caller. It's important for all quarterbacks, but especially ones still getting accustomed to the speed of the NFL.
At 6'4", 320 LBs, Okwonu has the size and raw tools to develop into a franchise left tackle. Perhaps the coaching staff change will help, though at this stage Okwonu has not shown he deserves a hefty contract extension following his rookie deal.
If Okwonu performs the same as he did in his first two seasons, Carolina will need to make a change to accelerate the offense.