Panthers select OT Ikem Ekwonu with the No. 6 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft

The Carolina Panthers had their pick of every offensive player in the class and decided against taking a quarterback to replace Sam Darnold. Instead, the team selected North Carolina State offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu at No. 6 overall.

The top five picks of the draft — Travon Walker, Aidan Hutchinson, Derek Stingley Jr., Sauce Gardner and Kayvon Thibodeaux — were all defensive players, leaving the Panthers with the full bevy of offensive linemen and quarterbacks to choose from.

Ekwonu was a unanimous All-American during the 2021 season and received the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, recognizing the top offensive lineman of the ACC.

The Panthers needed help on the offensive line after allowing 52 sacks last season, fifth-most in the NFL. While the team has a consistent stalwart at right tackle in Taylor Moton, left tackle Cam Erving struggled to man the blindside during his first season in Carolina.

The decision to draft Ekwonu likely means the Panthers will start Darnold again in 2022. The only other quarterback on the roster is P.J. Walker, and Carolina has little draft capital to add a starting quality player or trade for one. The Panthers' next pick in the 2022 NFL Draft isn't until the middle of the fourth round.