2022 NFL Draft: 3 Best options for Jaguars No.1 pick
By Dante Pryor
3. Ikem Ekwonu: Tackle, North Carolina State
Offensive tackle is one position with plug-and-play starters likely in the first two rounds. At least nine tackles could start day one in this draft. This draft has four elite tackles with a slight separation between them. In football, there’s a saying, “after you pay for the mortgage, you pay the insurance.”
The Jaguars drafted Trevor Lawrence last season; they need to pay the insurance this season. If Jacksonville looks to the offensive line with the first overall pick, Ikem Ekwonu should be the target. Ekwonu is an elite athlete that translates to the field and can fit any offensive blocking scheme.
A former wrestler, Ekwonu has excellent feet and does not allow defenders to get into his body when he pass blocks. The North Carolina State product initiates as a run blocker. What scouts love most about Ekwonu is as good as he was with the Wolfpack; many believe he’s only scratched the surface of how good he can become.
Jacksonville could also draft Evan Neal, and that wouldn’t be a bad pick. However, Ekwonu has a higher ceiling, and it is easy to love the demeanor in which he plays offensive tackle.