2023 NFL Draft: With their second third round pick, Browns select IDL Siaki Ika

The Cleveland Browns ended their Day 2 by adding to the interior defensive line. With their second pick in the third round, No. 98 overall, of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Browns selected IDL Siaki Ika from Baylor. Ika is a mountain of a man, standing at 6-foot-2, 335 pounds. The Browns came into the offseason needing to overhaul their defensive line, especially the interior. The biggest signing in free agency was at that position in Dalvin Tomlinson. The team also added Maurice Hurst and Trysten Hill. So, with the addition of Ika, Cleveland now has added four new big men for the interior defensive line room.The Athletic's Dane Brugler had Ika No. 71 overall and the eighth-best defensive tackle in the draft class. Here is what Brugler has to say about the newest Browns defensive lineman:

STRENGTHS: Thick, wide-hipped frame and comfortably carries his 335 pounds … rare quickness, body control and lateral flow for his size … shoots his hands at the snap to get movement and reset the line of scrimmage … uses his length and hand strength to stack, lock out and play peek-a-boo to track backfield action … violent hands to shuck single blocks and bully his way through the shoulder … his go-to as a rusher is an arm-over power move … anchors versus double teams … voted a team captain in 2022 … gives consistent hustle and logged 36.8 defensive snaps per game over his two seasons in Waco.WEAKNESSES: His backfield production plummeted in 2022 … inconsistent snap anticipation … bends well when he wants, but too willing to stand up and play upright at the snap … can be caved by angle blocks when he doesn’t sink and secure his outside leg … can get himself buried when he overextends his upper half and sacrifices his balance … his missed tackle rate increased in 2022 … barrels to the ball, but needs to use better control to finish tackles in confined spaces … suspended one game for an “off-field incident” (September 2021) … needs to stay conditioned and keep his weight under control (was 12 pounds heavier at his pro day compared to the scouting combine).SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Baylor, Ika lined up at nose tackle in head coach Dave Aranda’s hybrid 3-3-5 base scheme, playing multiple techniques (1, 2i, 3) on the interior. After winning a national championship at LSU as a freshman, he followed Aranda to Baylor and earned All-Big 12 honors each of the last two seasons. Ika plays with the power, awareness and joint flexibility to press blockers off his frame and find the football versus the run. For a player his size, he is light-footed with the short-area explosiveness and hand usage to defeat blocks. However, his best flashes can be found on the 2021 tape and he struggled to make backfield plays in 2022 (partly because of his role). Ika is a nimble, disruptive big man with stout, powerful traits, but all of his impressive parts don’t consistently add up to impact plays. He is a toolsy size prospect with a high floor as an early down NFL nose while also flashing the ability to be more.

Check out some of the college highlights from Ika:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVj7_6OfvRk