Ikem Ekwonu heavily projected for top-five pick in final mock drafts
At least one NFL mock draft has NC State All-American left tackle Ikem Ekwonu going with the No. 1 overall pick: NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks’ version.
Brooks is part of a heavy trend that has Ekwonu going within the top five picks overall in Thursday’s first round of the NFL Draft.
“Doug Pederson wants to build an impenetrable wall in front of Trevor Lawrence, and Ekwonu is a foundational block in that barrier,” Brooks noted.
ESPN’s NFL Nation beat writer participated in a mock draft Tuesday evening, and Ekwonu went with the fourth overall pick to the New York Jets, a pick made by ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini.
“GM Joe Douglas sticks with his best-player-available philosophy,” Cimini wrote. “Ekwonu is a safe pick with tremendous upside and the ability to start at left or right tackle. He brings plenty of nasty to the running game.”
At ESPN, both of their renowned NFL Draft analysts, Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay, have Ekwonu among the top three available players on their respective big boards. Kiper checks Ekwonu in at No. 2 and McShay at No. 3.
USA Today’s Nate Davis’ final mock draft has Ekwonu going one pick higher than ESPN Nation did, being selected at No. 3 to the Houston Texans.
“Good luck finding an offensive line prospect this year with more upside,” Davis wrote. “A devastating run blocker, he could start out at guard or right tackle – or settle in on QB Davis Mills’ blind side if the Texans decide to eventually move on from LT Laremy Tunsil as part of their ongoing rebuild.”
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In his final mock draft, NFL.com’s Charles Davis also sends Ekwonu to Houston. So to did FoxSports.com’s Jason McIntyre.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio waited till Tuesday to release his “one and only 2022 NFL mock draft.” He also has Ekwonu going to New York, but to the Giants with the fifth pick instead.
NFL.com’s Rhett Lewis also has Ekwonu going to the Giants in that spot. So did his partner on the site, Chad Reuter, who unveiled a seven-round mock draft.
Reuter has NC State running back Zonovan Knight going in the sixth round to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
CBS Sports’ Will Brinson joined the Ekwonu-to-the-Giants party.
One of the rare outliers for Ekwonu is ESPN’s Matt Miller, who has Ekwonu slipping to the No. 9 pick to the Seattle Seahawks. Miller also did not have any other NC State players going in his seven-round mock draft.
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