Browns select DT Siaki Ika with No. 98 pick in 2023 NFL Draft

The Browns on Friday selected DT Siaki Ika with the 98th overall pick in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Ika, a Salt Lake City native, provides a massive frame in the interior at 6-foot-2 and 335 pounds. Ika tallied 49 tackles and 4.5 over his final two seasons at Baylor — all 4.5 sacks were recorded in 2021. He was a first team All-Big 12 selection last season, when he was a team captain for the Bears. Ika started his career at LSU, playing in 17 games across two seasons and totaling 22 tackles and one sack.

"I'll call it a 'Schwartzism,'" Browns GM Andrew Berry said about Ika's size. "He (DC Jim Schwartz) wants guys to be as big as they possibly can, without sacrificing movement. For some guys at defensive tackle, that may be 305 and others that may be 355. Siaki has been anywhere from 335 to 355. depending on what the scheme required. For us, we'll work with him when he gets on site for what we're going to ask him to do, but he has played effectively throughout that weight range."

The Browns were rewarded the No. 98 overall pick as a compensatory pick from the NFL after former Browns Vice President of Football Operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was hired to become the Vikings general manager in 2022.