6 prospects moving down the Vikings board after the 2023 NFL Combine
By Nik Edlund
Siaki Ika – DT (Baylor)
Siaki Ika is a guy who, on film, does one thing very well. He is a space eater. Ika is incredibly hard to move off the ball and excels at eating blocks and clogging running lanes with his powerful lower body and massive frame.
The issue with Ika is just the lack of burst off the football. He isn’t a natural mover and doesn’t explode out of his stance. There was hope at the Combine that he’d show some athleticism that could make teams believe he can be more than just a run-clogging nose tackle, but that did not happen.
Ika’s forty-yard dash was second to last as he lumbered in at a 5.39 time. His 10-yard split was tied for last with a 1.88 time. His three-cone and 20-yard shuttle were also near the bottom, just confirming what the tape shows, and that Ika brings nothing when it comes to pass rush and is basically going to be a one-trick pony in the pros.
Now there is definitely a spot for Ika in the NFL, but the Vikings have to be moving him down their boards after his clear lack of athletic ability showed itself at the Combine. He’s probably still a Day 2 pick, but now that late second to early third-round range seems more appropriate.