STRENGTHS
Siaki is a pure-nose tackle. He’s not a defensive tackle or a defensive end, his impact position is in a 3/4 defense on the nose of the offensive center. He is strong and for his size, shows solid athleticism. Siaki has the ability to control the line of scrimmage on both running downs and passing downs. He is not a stat kind of defensive lineman but he is the type of defensive lineman who takes on the double team on all downs allowing his teammates to make the tackles before, and on the line of scrimmage and sacks. Siaki knows that his job is to control the player or players in front of him and change the line of scrimmage in his favor against any down or distance. That’s his job and he does it well.
CONCERNS
Siaki really does a good job controlling the line when lined up on the nose and seems to have less of an impact when playing Defensive Tackle in a 4/3 defense. Why you ask, I think it’s a mental thing, he feels like he is the man when he is on the nose of the center and seems to move better. Maybe he’s a little claustrophobic and playing with four down linemen he feels more closed in. I do know this, when he plays on the nose he can dictate where the double team is coming from and anticipate and deal with it better. When he is at Defensive Tackle, the double team can come from either side, and until the snap of the ball, he seems to wait and then deal with it, big difference for him. Siaki is not a pass rusher, he is a pass disrupter and a workhorse player whose job on passing downs is to either flush his QB out of the pocket or, keep the QB in the pocket and not let him out. He struggles to get off blocks and doesn’t get his hands up to knock down passes and if he did he would have more of an impact.
BOTTOM LINE: 3.25
Siaki’s value to each team will be different, affecting what round he most likely will be selected in. If I’m right, a team running a 3/4 defensive front is going to select him earlier than teams running four down linemen as their base defense. When lined up on the nose all he has to do is shade to the shoulder of the center and he now knows which guard is most likely to double-team him and can dictate to his teammates what their avenue of attack should be. When he is lined up at defensive tackle in a 4/3 he has less chance to manipulate his opponent because of the responsibilities his teammates have next to him. It should be very interesting what round Siaki will be selected in at draft time. Siaki is the type of player you have to believe what you see on the film and not be affected by his stats or workouts, as to his value and possible impact.
