Finding Broncos: Ikem Ekwonu | OT | NC State

Finding Broncos scouts the 2022 NFL Draft with a top offensive tackle.

Measurements

• Height: 6-foot-4
• Weight: 310 pounds
• Arms: 34 inches
• Hands: 10-1/4 inches

Combine Results

• 40-Yard Dash: 4.93 seconds
• Vertical Jump: 29 inches
• Broad Jump: 108 inches
• 3 Cone Drill: 7.82
• 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.73

Pros

• Ekwonu has shown a tremendous work ethic to improve, and it materialized on the field. 
• He has excellent versatility to work in any offense or blocking scheme. 
• He works with timing and excellent awareness when climbing to the second level. 
• He has good acceleration off the snap for when pulling. 
• He has sufficient length, and he uses it exceptionally well. 
• Ekwonu showed tremendous improvement with his hands but still has work to do. 
• He does a good job rolling power through his lower half into his upper hands. 
• He has flexible hips that help with smooth transitions. 
• There is good quickness with his kick slide. 
• His body control is exceptional in all phases. 
• He uses leverage well to generate driving power. 
• He plays with a mean streak and wants to finish his assignment. 
• He has the football IQ, drive, and leadership qualities to be the guy in the locker room. 
• He has the strength to bully and movement skills. 
• If he fails at tackle, he also can move inside and hold up. 

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Cons

• Ekwonu could do with more control with his play. 
• While he improved his pass protection in 2021, there is still room for more. 
• The big step for Ekwonu will be getting his upper and lower body to work in unison. 
• He can be heavy on the outside with his kick slide, which would be a bigger problem in the NFL. 
• The timing and placement of his punch need to be more consistent to help weaponize the power. 
• His feet will sometimes lag behind the punch, opening him up for counters. 

Overview

Throughout the draft process, Ikem Ekwonu has moved up the board and is now in the conversation for being a top-three pick. While he should be more than fine at tackle in the NFL, having the ability to kick inside is only beneficial in the NFL. Then you have the fact that he can fit into any scheme, and teams don't have to worry about him working with new coaching schemes. 

Ekwonu has tremendous power and movement skills, and the most prominent concerns involve the technical issues he has. During his college career, he has shown a willingness to improve and showed the needed improvement. Not just with his hands, but his overall pass protection took a giant step forward from 2020 to 2021. 

There is a lot there for NFL coaches to love with Ekwonu, which is a significant reason for his climb. When a player has those traits that you can't teach, they are the type of player coaches want. With his versatility and wide range of physical traits, the technical issues aren't going to be deal-breakers. 

Fit with Broncos

If the Denver Broncos were picking in the top three, Ekwonu would be a perfect fit. They could finally have a right tackle, but Ekwonu also gives them the versatility to play on the left side. That would give them options with what to do with Garett Bolles. 

Ekwonu is an excellent fit for the scheme and would cement the tackle position for next season. The only problem is that the Broncos don't pick until the 64th overall pick, and Ekwonu is unlikely to fall out of the top 5 picks. It would be a dream pick if Denver could land him, but it is a pipe dream. 

Grade: Top Three Player

Where he Goes: Top 10

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