NC State’s excellent returning depth includes some star power up front. There’s Ickey Ekwonu, of course, who has already established himself as an elite offensive lineman in the ACC and is the king of the pancakes. There’s also senior center Grant Gibson—who graduated this spring, by the way; congrats, Grant—who figures to have a pro future.
Pro Football Focus ranks both among the top returning offensive linemen in the country. Ekwonu is PFF’s 10th-best returning tackle:
North Carolina State deploys a zone rushing attack, with over three-fourths of the team’s runs being such since 2019, and that’s where Ekownu is a true mauler.