Through the first five picks of the draft, no offensive players were taken. At No. 6, it happened.
But the Panthers didn’t take a quarterback. They went with a lineman. N.C. State offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu joins the team.
Some regarded Ekwonu as the top offensive line prospect. Some put Alabama tackle Evan Neal in that spot. The Panthers obviously preferred Ekwonu.
He’s happy about it. He grew up a Panthers fan. And now he stays in the Charlotte area to start his career.
The real question is who will he be blocking for? Sam Darnold is the top quarterback for now. With no second- or third-round pick, thanks to the Darnold trade, they may now be in the Baker Mayfield business.