Baylor DL Siaki Ika Enters 2023 NFL Draft
The Baylor Bears will be without arguably their best defensive lineman on Thursday night against the Air Force Falcons in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, with defensive tackle Siaki Ika declaring for the NFL Draft.
Ika made the announcement on Thursday before the game.
"These last two seasons were something words cannot describe," Ika said in a statement on social media. "The laughs the cries, the ups and the downs are moments I will cherish forever. I am more than grateful to have been blessed with the opportunity to be a part of a brotherhood, led by a coaching staff of leaders looking to fill this world with more leaders. Choosing to wear the Green and Gold changed my life and turned out to be one of the best decisions l've ever made.
I would like to thank my teammates and coaches for all the many things they have done for me. I'd like to express my love for the city of Waco and all the fans of McLane Stadium. You all have truly made these last 2 seasons memorable and for that I will forever bleed Green and Gold My family and I have come a long way from the bush. I've been raised to go out and work for what I want and chase my wildest of dreams. I now embark on this next journey with my family at heart and that same mindset.
With that being said,
I am declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft and will begin training and starting my draft process. Sic 'em Bears!"
Ika spent two years at Baylor after transferring from LSU, and ends his Bears career with 47 tackles and four sacks.
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Matt Galatzan the Editor-In-Chief of InsideTheBears.com, TheGroveReport.com, RamDigest.com, AllSeahawks.com, and TexansDaily.com. Galatzan graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry under Mike Fisher at DallasBasketball.com in 2014, which at the time was part of the 247Sports network. He also spent two years covering the SMU Mustangs for PonyStampede.com on the 247Sports network. When DallasBasketball.com and CowboysCountry.com moved over to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, Galatzan followed suit, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of LonghornsCountry.com and AllAggies.com a year later. Through the years, Galatzan has conducted a handful of high-profile one-on-one interviews to add to his resume — in both writing and podcasting. Some of his biggest interviews have been with Mavs owner Mark Cuban, former Longhorns players Dan Neil and Phil Dawson, and many other recruits, and current/former players for each of the teams he has covered. Galatzan is also a full-time employee in the digital media department for Audacy and KRLD FM's 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, which is the official radio home of the Dallas Cowboys. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels. For any inquiries, please email matt.galatzan@gmail.com