Siaki Ika NT Baylor: Scouting Report

Height: 6’3

Weight: 358

Overall

Siaki Ika is a powerful interior defender in Baylor’s 4-3 defense. He began his career at LSU where he played in 17 games but recording 0 starts, He then transferred to Baylor where, over 2 seasons, he played in 25 games, starting 23 of them. He has elite size and strength but does not have great athleticism as a nose tackle.

Pass Game

As a pass rusher, Ika lacks the motor and explosiveness to make plays on the quarterback. At times, he shows the power to drive his man back, shrinking the pocket but he struggles getting off blocks and making the play. His lack of impact as a pass rusher will force him to be used on early downs and used solely as a run stuffing nose tackle.

Run Game

In the run game, Ika has a very powerful initial punch and he does a good job of creating separation with his hands after first contact. Against zone runs, he has good lateral movement skills to flow down the line of scrimmage and clog up running lanes but he struggles getting off of his blocks to make the tackle. He was double teamed often on film and struggled to fight through the blocks. Against single blockers, he showed flashes of being able to push his man back and blow up inside runs but he still showed a lot of struggles in getting off blocks. He needs to do a better job of keeping his eyes up after contacting the offensive line to diagnose the play and fill the open gaps. With his size and power, he can take up a lot of space on the interior but his lack of playmaking ability is concerning. 

Last Word

Ika projects best as a 4-3 nose tackle who can be used on early downs and as a rotational player throughout the game. He has the size and power to play at the next level but he needs to vastly improve his ability to get off blocks and make plays before he can be a consistent starter in the NFL. His lack of athleticism will force him to play as a nose throughout his whole career which limits his value only being able to play one position and have one role as a run stuffer.

One-Liner: Siaki Ika shows flashes of being able to stop inside runs but his lack of pass rushing skills and ability to get off blocks will hurt him early in his career.

Grade: 6.3 (Starter on 1st and 2nd Down)

Games Watched: 2022 - Oklahoma State, BYU

Team Fits: Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons