5 non-QB draft prospects the Vikings should target in 2023
By Dean Jones
Siaki Ika – DT
The Vikings are one defensive lineman away from having a dominant front seven. They are making things happen without much fuss right now, so all it’ll take is another explosive college prospect to take this unit up another notch next season.
Whether the Vikings identify this as an area of significant need without a second-round selection to call upon following the T.J. Hockenson trade is up for debate. If they decide to wait until Round No. 3, then Siaki Ika could be exactly what Minnesota is looking for if he makes it this far down the pecking order.
Ika is built like a true nose tackle. However, the Baylor prospect offers much more than just stout run defense thanks to unique agility for a man his size.
His aggressiveness at the point of attack stands out considerably. Ika matches his with quick feet and a relentless motor that makes him incredibly difficult to counteract on any given down.
There are some elements Ika needs to work on upon arriving in the NFL. His functional technique could use refinement and learning to cope better with double teams against more imposing offensive linemen would also assist his transition.
With that being said, there is far more good than bad where Ika is concerned. But it would need the Vikings to get lucky if they don’t trade up for a second-round pick.