Round 1 - The Carolina Panthers select Ikem Ekwonu

[Jon Snow]

Just now, Mr. Scot said:

Reports now confirming the Panthers would have taken Kenny Pickett at #6 but didn't expect Ickey Ekwonu to be available.

Thank the God's that Icky fell to us. I don't want to even think of where we would be had he not.

[jayboogieman]

5 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

Reports now confirming the Panthers would have taken Kenny Pickett at #6 but didn't expect Ickey Ekwonu to be available.

[RJK]

If he’s the franchise LT we’ve been waiting for since gross retired im fine with everybody else in this draft washing out 

[MadHatter]

We were sitting at a restaurant tonight in Tallahassee FL for my daughters graduation from FSU and were talking about the draft. I told them we drafted a stud LT from ncsu name Ekwonu who was from Charlotte. My wife looked at me and asked his first name.  I said it was Ikem.  She looked at me and my kids and said…..that’s Ickey from the neighborhood.

Ekwonu and his family are such nice people.  Ickey grew up in our neighborhood in Weddington NC.  I still remember him as this quiet 8 yo who could barely swim but desperately wanted to be on the neighborhood swim team (my wife ran the team).  My son was 11 at the time and was a competitive swimmer (along with a few other boys in the neighborhood who swam on year-round teams).  They took Ickey under their wing and worked with him all summer teaching him how to swim.  The final meet, he actually won his heat and got his first ribbon.  I still remember the big grin on his face as he ran to show his parents.  

His parents made sure to seek out all 3 of the boys that helped him that night (my son being one) to thank them for their kindness.  He abs his entire family are the nicest people you will ever want to meet.

 

[Mr. Scot]

4 minutes ago, MadHatter said:

We were sitting at a restaurant tonight in Tallahassee FL for my daughters graduation from FSU and were talking about the draft. I told them we drafted a stud LT from ncsu name Ekwonu who was from Charlotte. My wife looked at me and asked his first name.  I said it was Ikem.  She looked at me and my kids and said…..that’s Ickey from the neighborhood.

Ekwonu and his family are such nice people.  Ickey grew up in our neighborhood in Weddington NC.  I still remember him as this quiet 8 yo who could barely swim but desperately wanted to be on the neighborhood swim team (my wife ran the team).  My son was 11 at the time and was a competitive swimmer (along with a few other boys in the neighborhood who swam on year-round teams).  They took Ickey under their wing and worked with him all summer teaching him how to swim.  The final meet, he actually won his heat and got his first ribbon.  I still remember the big grin on his face as he ran to show his parents.  

His parents made sure to seek out all 3 of the boys that helped him that night (my son being one) to thank them for their kindness.  He abs his entire family are the nicest people you will ever want to meet.

 

Nice

[1of10Charnatives]

19 minutes ago, MadHatter said:

We were sitting at a restaurant tonight in Tallahassee FL for my daughters graduation from FSU and were talking about the draft. I told them we drafted a stud LT from ncsu name Ekwonu who was from Charlotte. My wife looked at me and asked his first name.  I said it was Ikem.  She looked at me and my kids and said…..that’s Ickey from the neighborhood.

Ekwonu and his family are such nice people.  Ickey grew up in our neighborhood in Weddington NC.  I still remember him as this quiet 8 yo who could barely swim but desperately wanted to be on the neighborhood swim team (my wife ran the team).  My son was 11 at the time and was a competitive swimmer (along with a few other boys in the neighborhood who swam on year-round teams).  They took Ickey under their wing and worked with him all summer teaching him how to swim.  The final meet, he actually won his heat and got his first ribbon.  I still remember the big grin on his face as he ran to show his parents.  

His parents made sure to seek out all 3 of the boys that helped him that night (my son being one) to thank them for their kindness.  He abs his entire family are the nicest people you will ever want to meet.

 

These are the kinds of people I want playing for the teams I pull for. I know a lot of people can support players on their team even when that player is an obvious jerkhole. I can't. At most I can do a Smitty who has his ups and downs, but who you at least can see is trying to be the best version of himself. Sounds like we got a stud for the OL AND the kind of person who is easy to cheer for. Can't ask for much more than that.

[MadHatter]

5 minutes ago, 1of10Charnatives said:

These are the kinds of people I want playing for the teams I pull for. I know a lot of people can support players on their team even when that player is an obvious jerkhole. I can't. At most I can do a Smitty who has his ups and downs, but who you at least can see is trying to be the best version of himself. Sounds like we got a stud for the OL AND the kind of person who is easy to cheer for. Can't ask for much more than that.

He is my new favorite player on the team. 

Edited May 1, 2022 by MadHatter

[1of10Charnatives]

1 minute ago, MadHatter said:

He is my new favorite player on the team.  

The fact he's the hometown guy is just the icing on the cake.

[Eric4280]

I really think Houston saved us by taking Stingley and letting the giants take thibodeaux - leaving one of the tackles fall to them at 7. The cards fell in our favor. I was absolutely expecting one of Houston or Jax to take an OT.

[45catfan]

8 hours ago, Mr. Scot said:

Reports now confirming the Panthers would have taken Kenny Pickett at #6 but didn't expect Ickey Ekwonu to be available.

THANK YOU GIANTS!!!!!!

[45catfan]

42 minutes ago, Pakmeng said:

Fitterer said they were going to take one of the 3 tackles. This angle doesn't make any sense.

What doesn't make sense is the Giants had their pick of ANY, repeat A-N-Y of the big 3 OTs.  We had no interest in a defensive player at #6.  So they could have easily taken the tackle of their choice at #5 and came back at #7 and still got Thibadeaux.  That's the very reason why EVERYONE was shocked that Ickey fell to us.

[CPF4LIFE]

On 4/29/2022 at 5:03 AM, Aussie Tank said:

Not a big fan of playing BC beside him on the left I’d rather pair him with a mauler 

Agreed. I just dont think BC is a guard and him being out there is not putting the best line up on the field with Brown and Mays now on the roster. Ultimately  it will probably happen because they want to justify using a 3rd round pick on him. 

[Mr. Scot]

7 hours ago, 45catfan said:

What doesn't make sense is the Giants had their pick of ANY, repeat A-N-Y of the big 3 OTs.  We had no interest in a defensive player at #6.  So they could have easily taken the tackle of their choice at #5 and came back at #7 and still got Thibadeaux.  That's the very reason why EVERYONE was shocked that Ickey fell to us.

They wanted Thibodeaux too.

Their fear was that if they let Thibodeaux fall to six, someone might make the Panthers an offer they couldn't refuse.

As it worked out, they got the tackle they had the highest grade on anyway.

[45catfan]

19 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

They wanted Thibodeaux too.

Their fear was that if they let Thibodeaux fall to six, someone might make the Panthers an offer they couldn't refuse.

As it worked out, they got the tackle they had the highest grade on anyway.

The worst kept secret in this draft was we were taking a tackle if any of the big 3 fell to us.  I listen to sports talk radio on the way to work in the morning and literally everyone said tackle was the pick at #6 if still there and the QB talk was mostly smoke out of the Panthers' camp (unless there was a run on OT).  When all 3 were there at #5, there was no reason for the Giants to fear someone jumping them at #7.  Also, how did they know we preferred Ickey over Neal?  We just as well could have drafted Neal. 

Again, it doesn't make sense, but I'm not complaining because I got my #1 rated player as a Panther.  I was just 99% sure Ickey would be gone by #6.