Siaki Ika NFL Draft Overview
Position: Nose Tackle/ Interior Defensive Lineman
Height: 6′-3″
Weight: 350 pounds
School: Baylor
2023 NFL Draft: Siaki Ika Scouting Report
Siaki Ika is the top-nose tackle prospect in the draft. Being regarded as the top prospect at his position has made the decision to forego one more year of eligibility, an easy one for Ika, to make.
The one-time LSU Tiger, spent two years in Baton Rouge, before finishing up with two years spent at Baylor. In his first season in Baton Rouge, Ika played in 11 games and had 18 total tackles (Six solo, 12 assisted). In his shortened, second season (two games) with the Tigers, Ika had five total tackles (three Solo, two assisted), including one sack, before he entered the transfer portal. In 2021, with the Bears, Ika set a career-high for tackles, with 24 total (17 solo, seven assisted), including four sacks, and also had one pass defense. In his final season, at Baylor Ika had 23 total tackles (10 solo, 13 assisted), but had zero sacks, but also posted a career-best, two passes defensed.
Strengths
- Explosive off the snap which allows him to blow-up play design;
- First contact with a defender shocks and jars them, highly powerful;
- Recognizes down-blocking quickly and efficiently;
- Highly athletic for his size;
- Seizes defender’s wrists, stealthily, enabling him to control the defender.
Weaknesses
- Difficulty fighting through a double-team;
- Has difficulty tackling elusive (cutting-back, juking) runners;
- Drops head and loses sight of the ball;
- Does not maintain his center of gravity, causing him to be unbalanced when pursuing opponent;
- Has had difficulty getting to the quarterback on passing plays.
NFL Comparison: Vita Vea
Teams With Need At Position: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints
Projection: First-Second Round Pick
Bottom Line on Siaki Ika
Ika is the top nose tackle/interior defensive lineman prospect in the draft. Being inside the top forty prospects overall bodes well for Ika being either a first or second-round draft choice. Ika’s strengths outweigh his weaknesses and are largely the reason he is viewed as the top prospect at his position and will be drafted within the first two rounds.
Ika’s weaknesses seem like pretty easy fixes when compared with other prospects at the nose tackle/interior defensive lineman position. Of any of the weaknesses noted, maintaining his center of gravity will be where the majority of attention will need to be paid. A couple of the causes for this may be weak lower body and/or core muscles. Ika will probably spend a good portion of his rookie season in the weight room working on those potential deficits to make him a very well-rounded NFL player. If Ika can live up to the player most scouts compare him to in Vita Vea, and early indications are he will, than using a pick on Ika in the first or second round even for a team who may not need a nose tackle/interior defensive lineman, or have it as a high priority on their list of needs, may be worth it, given Ika’s freakish athletic ability for his size.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
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