ESPN 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Will Baylor Appear in First Round?
With ESPN's Matt Miller recently releasing his predictions for all 32 first-round selections, the Baylor Bears find themselves in the hunt for a top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
According to Miller's projections on his ESPN Plus piece, Baylor sophomore Siaki Ika, a defensive tackle out of Salt Lake City, Utah, could land at the 29th overall pick by the Los Angeles Chargers.
"If you watched the Chargers in 2022, you know how important it is that their defense improves against the run," Miller wrote in his article that was released on Tuesday. "Ika would boost the interior immediately.
"The 6-foot-4, 350-pound tackle is an anchor in the middle, and he also has enough quickness to make an impact as a pass-rusher (he had four sacks in 2021). He's not quite on the Jordan Davis level of speed and physical traits for a big man, but his NFL usage could be similar."
Last season for the Bears, Ika appeared in all 13 games and garnered 25 total tackles (18 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, four quarterback hurries and one pass deflection.
Prior to his time donning green and gold, Ika spent the 2019 season and part of 2020 at Louisiana State University (LSU) before entering the transfer portal; he played in 13 games in a backup role at nose tackle in 2019 and recorded 17 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Ika was a four-star prospect by ESPN and tallied 89 tackles and 14 sacks as a senior at East High School (Utah).
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Denton Ramsey has been a journalist for over 20 years with a decade of experience as a sports writer and editor for a plethora of newspapers throughout Texas and Alabama. Growing up in Houston and attending Baylor University, Ramsey is a die-hard sports fan with a true passion for writing. He may be reached via email at denton.itb@gmail.com