The Carolina Panthers selected North Carolina State offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu with the sixth overall pick in the 2022 draft because Ekwonu is a tremendously powerful player, and between Ekwonu and underrated right tackle Taylor Moton, Carolina has two of the most effective defender-erasing outside blockers in the NFL today.
That said, Ekwonu got a sharp lesson in leverage and power at the NFL level on this play in the Panthers’ Friday night preseason game against the New England Patriots. Ekwonu (No. 79) was pulling to block to the outside left — all 6-foot-4, 310 pounds of him — and he was absolutely leveled by Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (No. 23), who stands 6-foot-2, 220. That’s big for a defensive back, but still… you don’t expect to see this level of carnage in a matchup like this.
BLOCK DESTRUCTION pic.twitter.com/rDY1XnQqIF
— Coach Breen (@OpenCrossPlant) August 20, 2022
Running back Chuba Hubbard did gain the first down on this play, but that’s something for Dugger to cherish once film day comes around.
In fairness to Mr. Ekwonu, he had his own stick hit to brag about, when he took defensive back Jonathan Jones (No. 31) several yards in the wrong direction, from the Patriots’ point of view.
A pulling Ickey Ekwonu w a pancake on his first rep tonight. pic.twitter.com/tu7CSOzBTo
— John Ellis (@1PantherPlace) August 19, 2022
Perhaps Dugger was defending Jones’ honor? In any event, Ekwonu is learning an important lesson — in the NFL, it’s hit or be hit, and the equation can change very quickly.
