By Charlie Campbell
Weaknesses:
Summary: Ika spent the last few seasons as a disruptive force in the middle of the Baylor defensive line. He recorded 23 tackles, two passes batted and zero sacks in 2022, but in 2021, he totaled 24 tackles and four sacks.
There is no doubt about Ika’s skill in run defense. He is very stout at the point of attack. When runs come downhill at him, he is able to anchor and hold his ground. He also shows the strength to shed and tackle. Routinely, Ika can bull his way into the backfield to blow up runs and resets the line of scrimmage. His lateral anchor was very good for a college player, making him immovable at the point of attack. Ika flashed the ability to take on double-team bump blocks and hold his ground when getting hit from the side. In run defense, Ika is a beast.
Ika has some ability as a pass rusher because his power can help him push into the backfield, but after gaining some ground upfield, he struggles to finish the play by getting to the quarterback. Ika is limited from both speed and athleticism perspectives to shed the blocker and make a tackle on a quarterback. Hence, he does not project to being a dangerous interior pass rusher in the NFL. As a pro, he probably will be rotated out of the game on the majority of sub package plays.
For the NFL, Ika should fit as a nose tackle in a 3-4 or a 4-3. However, he probably will get rotated out in the sub package, which will limit his playing time as a pro. Ika could end up as a second- or third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Player Comparison: Agim McNeil. Ika is akin to a bigger version of McNeil coming out of N.C. State. McNeil is a forceful run-stuffer who occasionally provides a bull rush to get after the quarterback. McNeil was an excellent value as a third-round pick for the Lions in 2021, and Ika could be similar selection this year in the 2023 NFL Draft.
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