The Carolina Panthers received a stroke of good fortune when all three of the top offensive tackle prospects were there for the taking at No. 6 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. This was the best-case scenario for the club, and there was only one prospect on their mind.
However, the Super Bowl exposed a burning question that everyone associated with the Panthers seems to ignore.
The game between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots was pretty one-sided. Mike Macdonald's squad always looked comfortable, spearheaded by their ferocious defense and former Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold protecting the football. Still, this game was also decided by the game's two starting left tackles.
Carolina Panthers should regret not taking Charles Cross in the 2022 NFL Draft
Rookie first-rounder Will Campbell's woeful playoff run continued. The LSU product gave up countless pressures to give Patriots quarterback Drake Maye almost no chance of making an impact. Darnold had no such trouble, with Charles Cross putting together the sort of performance in keeping with his outstanding career trajectory to date.
Cross was Seattle's pick at No. 9 overall in 2022. He was the last of the aforementioned offensive tackle trio to be drafted, all of whom were available to Carolina. Those in power at the time went with Ikem Ekwonu instead, and although he's steadily progressed, his influence doesn't come close to that of the former Mississippi State standout.
Ekwonu is among the league's most dominant run blockers. His pass protection still needs some work, and he could miss all of the 2026 campaign after rupturing his Achilles tendon in Carolina's narrow wild-card playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Hindsight is 20/20, of course, but it's clear for all to see that Cross is the superior player right now.
The Seahawks have already given Cross a lucrative contract extension. Carolina was looking to do the same with Ekwonu, but the serious injury issue changed everything. General manager Dan Morgan needs to find a short-term replacement who could potentially even fill the void long-term this offseason. Considering the money already invested in the offensive line, don't be surprised if the Panthers address this need with their first-round selection.
Would things have been different if then-general manager Scott Fittterer had gone with Cross over Ekwonu? There is no telling for sure, but his status as an elite-level pass protector is firmly cemented after a Super Bowl showing littered with pure dominance from start to finish.
Ekwonu now faces a long, hard road back to health. And there is just no telling if he will ever be the same again.