Siaki Ika – Defensive Tackle – 22 years old – Senior – Baylor
Height: 1m92
Weight: 152 kg
2022 stats: 24 tackles including 2 for losses, 2 passes defended
Estimated draft position: 40-60
NFL Comparison: Al Woods (Seahawks)
Unknown because a player with an ungrateful role, Al Woods has nevertheless been invaluable for twelve NFL seasons by stopping opposing runners. He stopped them or forced them to change course to be tackled by a teammate.
Like him Siaki Ika will not be a star in the NFL, but he is this kind of essential player for a defense.
Strong points
– Powerful
– Team sport
Siaki Ika is very imposing, which already gives him strength. And since he also knows how to play low on his feet when he enters a duel, his power is increased tenfold! He is an expert in Bull Rush, a technique consisting of pushing his opponent. The MHD song “La Pouvoir” seems to have been written for him.
By disrupting the pocket, it forces runners to change running lines. By making them lose time to take the free breach, they are then stopped by a linebacker or a safety. Siaki Ika often generates deuces against him, freeing up some space for another defensive lineman.
In both cases, it is not he who stops the game: his statistics do not represent his performance! But his work benefits his teammates and that is the main thing in a team sport.
Weak points
– Presence
– Pass rush
– Limited scope
With such an imposing size and a position where you have to fight on every action, Siaki Ika cannot play the majority of defensive snaps: 35 snaps per game with Baylor. This is a factor that will necessarily work against him when investing a high draft pick, and therefore a lot of money.
While defending the run is always important in the NFL, putting pressure on the quarterback remains the priority for a defensive lineman. In this area, Siaki Ika weighs little. His lack of speed as well as an insufficient arm length do not allow him to put the quarterbacks under pressure, or on rare occasions.
The course
Siaki Ika was college champion with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase’s LSU in 2019. But he hadn’t signed with the University of Utah (native of Salt Lake City) to work with Dave Aranda. So when LSU’s defensive coordinator became head coach at Baylor in 2020, he found himself an orphan and had to change his defensive system (from 34 to 43).
Playing little in 2020 to be eligible for 2021, he then joined his mentor at Baylor. Elected in the Big 12 conference team in 2022, Siaki Ika can be satisfied with his choice to go to Texas.
Possible destinations
Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders
The Seahawks struggled to stop runners in 2022 and they parted ways with 36-year-old Al Woods: Siaki Ika has the profile to play in the center of their defensive front with three men (defense in 34) . A Reed-Ika-D.Jones trio would be a deterrent in the NFC West.
In AFC North, the Steelers have to deal with two very good attacks on the ground: Ravens 2nd and Browns 6th in 2022. Tyson Alualu is no longer there and Siaki Ika could solidify the inside of their defensive line.
Poor run defense in 2022, the Chicago Bears should be interested. Justin Jones is a “penetrating” TD as evidenced by his 13 loss-inflicting tackles in 2022, but it will take rotation with the bigger Andrew Billings: with two picks in the second round, the Bears could use one on this mountain Polynesian.
