Wolfpack Star Ikem Ekwonu Staying In Carolina To Play For Panthers

NC State star lineman Ikem Ekwonu has been selected No. 6 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers.

Ekwonu was a unanimous consensus first-team All-American for 2021. He was named to the first team by the American Football Coaches Association, the Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, The Sporting News and The Walter Camp Foundation.

It marks just the third time in school history that the Wolfpack has boasted a unanimous consensus All-American. Center Jim Ritcher (1979) and defensive end Bradley Chubb (2017) were the only previous NC State players to make first team on all the organizations used to determine consensus status.

Ekwonu was named the recipient of the ACC's Jacobs Blocking Trophy and was named a first-team All-ACC performer by the Associated Press and on the official league squad.

A finalist for the Outland Trophy, Ekwonu tallied a team-leading 67 pancake blocks and 18 knockdowns for the Wolfpack in 2021. A two-time ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week, Ekwonu allowed just two sacks from his left tackle position in 829 snaps this season and has consistently been the high-grader on the Wolfpack offensive line.