2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Siaki Ika

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Siaki Ika, 6-4/358 Defensive Tackle Baylor

Siaki Ika Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Tough run-stuffing nose tackle

Superb lateral anchor

Impossible to move at the point of attack

Holds his gap

Absorbs double teams

Very tough; plays violently

Disruptive run defender

Strong hands

Uses hands and feet at same time

Ability to shed blocks

Can get a push working upfield

Powerful bull rush

Weaknesses:

Not a dynamic interior pass rusher

May not have a big role in the sub package

Could be limited to being a two-down defender

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.

2023 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2023 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M Adetomiwa Adebawore, DE, Northwestern Jordan Addison, WR, USC Will Anderson, DE, Alabama Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE, Kansas State Steve Avila, G, TCU Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland Micah Baskerville, LB, LSU Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin Matthew Bergeron, OT, Syracuse Mekhi Blackmon, CB, USC Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU Brian Branch, S, Alabama Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson Chase Brown, RB, Illinois Sydney Brown, S, Illinois Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA Malik Cunningham, QB, Louisvile Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina Max Duggan, QB, TCU Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland Zach Evans, RB, Ole Miss Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Notre Dame Isaiah Foskey, DE, Notre Dame Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon Derick Hall, OLB, Auburn Jaren Hall, QB, BYU Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU Broderick Jones, G, Georgia Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa Will Levis, QB, Kentucky Quan Martin, CB, Illinois Cody Mauch, G, North Dakota State Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame Will McDonald, DE, Iowa State Kenny McIntosh, RB, Georgia Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford Kendre Miller, RB, TCU Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss Cam Mitchell, CB, Northwestern Malachi Moore, S, Alabama Mike Morris, DE, Michigan Wanya Morris, OT, Oklahoma Myles Murphy, DE, Clemson Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State Zion Nelson, OT, Miami B.J. Ojulari, OLB, LSU Demarvion Overshown, LB, Texas Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn Jarrett Patterson, C, Notre Dame Clark Phillips, CB, Utah Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas Chris Rodriguez, RB, Kentucky Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan Nolan Smith, DE, Georgia Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota Tyler Steen, OT, Alabama Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee Joe Tippman, C, Wisconsin O'Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida Henry To'oTo'o, LB, Alabama Tuli Tuipulotu, DE, USC D.J. Turner, CB, Michigan Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa Deuce Vaughn, RB, Kansas State Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia Keion White, DE, Georgia Tech Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

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