NC State football tackle Ikem Ekwonu wins ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy
NC State football sophomore left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, one of three finalists for the Outland Trophy, on Monday morning became the first Wolfpack lineman to win the ACC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy since Jim Richter in 1979.
Ekwonu finished the regular season with 67 pancake blocks and 18 knockdowns and was a two-time ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week. The 6-foot-4, 320-pounder allowed just two sacks in 829 snaps. Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranks Ekwonu as the top run blocker in college football.
“Ickey is the most dominant offensive lineman that I have seen in person as a head coach,” NC State haed coach Dave Doeren said. “But even more importantly, he is a phenomenal person, student, and teammate.”
Ikem Ekwonu joins Ritcher (1978, 1979) and Bill Yoest (1973) as NC State winners of the award.
Ekwonu likely has a lot more ahead of him. He was a midseason All-American by the Associated Press, The Athletic, ESPN and The Sporting News.
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“This fall has been great. This is probably the most fun I’ve had playing football since I’ve been here at NC State,” Ekwonu noted on the ACC Network’s Packer and Durham.
“I was able to hit some of my personal goals. I wanted to win the Outland Trophy, but being a finalist brings me one step closer to one of my biggest personal goals,” Ekwonu added. “That’s really exciting for me. I’m just really excited for the future. We’ll see what happens next.”
Ekwonu, listed as a sophomore because the NCAA froze eligibility last season but in actuality just completed his third season in Raleigh, chose to walk on Senior Day before the 34-30 win over North Carolina on Friday evening.
Ekwonu revealed his intentions last week before the game, but he also said that he had not made a final decision on whether or not he will enter the NFL Draft. Some mock drafts in recent weeks have projected Ekwonu as a potential top-five overall pick should he choose to go pro.
NC State football finished the regular season with a 9-3 record, including 6-2 in the ACC. It will find out Sunday afternoon where it will go bowling.
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