GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – NC State offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu has been voted the winner of the 2021 Jacobs Blocking Trophy, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced on Monday.
The Jacobs Blocking Trophy has been awarded annually since 1953 to the player selected most outstanding blocker in the ACC by a poll of the league’s head coaches and defensive coordinators. The trophy is given in memory of William P. Jacobs, who served as president of Presbyterian College from 1935 to 1945.
Ekwonu, a sophomore from Charlotte, North Carolina, is a finalist for the Outland Trophy and has been ranked as the top run blocker in college football by Pro Football Focus. He has tallied a team-leading 67 pancake blocks and 18 knockdowns for the Wolfpack. A two-time ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week this season, Ekwonu and the Wolfpack rank 19th nationally in passing offense at 288.4 yards per game – 11th among Power 5 schools.
In 829 snaps this season, the 6-4, 320-pound Ekwonu has allowed just two sacks from his left tackle position and has consistently been the high-grader on the Wolfpack offensive line. He was named a midseason All-American by The Associated Press, The Athletic, ESPN and The Sporting News.
"Ickey is the most dominant offensive lineman that I have seen in person as a head coach," said NC State's Dave Doeren. "But even more importantly, he is a phenomenal person, student, and teammate!"
This marks the fourth time that an NC State player has claimed the Jacobs Blocking Trophy and the first since Outland Trophy winner and two-time All-America center Jim Ritcher was honored in both 1978 and 1979.
Winners of the ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy
1953 Bill Wohrman, FB, South Carolina
1954 Bill Wohrman, FB, South Carolina
1955 Bob Pellegrini, C, Maryland
1956 Hal McElhaney, FB, Duke
1957 Hal McElhaney, FB, Duke
1958 John Saunders, FB, South Carolina
1959 Doug Cline, FB, Clemson
1960 Dwight Bumgarner, T, Duke
1961 Art Gregory, T, Duke
Jim LeCompte, G, North Carolina
1962 Art Gregory, T, Duke
1963 Chuck Walker, T, Duke
1964 Eddie Kesler, FB, North Carolina
1965 John McNabb, G, Duke
1966 Wayne Mass, T, Clemson
1967 Harry Olszewski, G, Clemson
1968 Greg Shelly, T, Virginia
1969 Ralph Sonntag, T, Maryland
1970 Dan Ryczek, C, Virginia
1971 Geoff Hamlin, FB, North Carolina
1972 Ron Rusnak, G, North Carolina
1973 Bill Yoest, G, NC State
1974 Ken Huff, G, North Carolina
1975 Billy Bryan, C, Duke
1976 Billy Bryan, C, Duke
1977 Joe Bostic, G, Clemson
1978 Jim Ritcher, C, NC State
1979 Jim Ritcher, C, NC State
1980 Ron Wooten, G, North Carolina
1981 Lee Nanney, T, Clemson
1982 Dave Pacella, T, Maryland
1983 James Farr, G, Clemson
1984 Jim Dombrowski, T, Virginia
1985 Jim Dombrowski, T, Virginia
1986 Paul Kiser, G, Wake Forest
1987 John Phillips, G, Clemson
1988 Jeff Garnica, C, North Carolina
1989 Chris Port, T, Duke
1990 Ray Roberts, T, Virginia
1991 Ray Roberts, T, Virginia
1992 Ben Coleman, T, Wake Forest
1993 Mark Dixon, G, Virginia
1994 Clay Shiver, C, Florida State
1995 Clay Shiver, C, Florida State
1996 no recipient
1997 Tra Thomas, T, Florida State
1998 Craig Page, C, Georgia Tech
1999 John St. Clair, C, Virginia
2000 Tarlos Thomas, T, Florida State
2001 Brett Williams, T, Florida State
2002 Brett Williams, T, Florida State
2003 Elton Brown, G, Virginia
2004 Elton Brown, G, Virginia
2005 Eric Winston, T, Miami
2006 Josh Beekman, G-C, Boston College
2007 Steve Justice, C, Wake Forest
2008 Eugene Monroe, T, Virginia
2009 Rodney Hudson, G, Florida State
2010 Rodney Hudson, G, Florida State
2011 Blake DeChristopher, T, Virginia Tech
2012 Jonathan Cooper, G, North Carolina
2013 Cameron Erving, T, Florida State
2014 Cameron Erving, T-C, Florida State
2015 Roderick Johnson, T, Florida State
2016 Roderick Johnson, T, Florida State
2017 Mitch Hyatt, T, Clemson
2018 Mitch Hyatt, T, Clemson
2019 Mekhi Becton, T, Louisville
2020 Liam Eichenberg, T, Notre Dame
2021 Ikem Ekwonu, T, NC State