Kingsley Suamataia, OT BYU | Big 12 Conference
Experience in College: RS Sophomore | Age: 21 | Height: 6’5″ | Weight: 326 pounds
Estimated Draft Status: Phases 2–3
Abraham Lucas as a comparison player
Player Synopsis
It seems that Kingsley Suamataia was destined to play football. Noah Sewell and Penei are his cousins. Puka Nacua was a member of his high school team that won four straight state championships. Suamataia, a highly sought-after talent, chose Oregon over Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Ohio State to play college ball, following in the footsteps of his relatives. His Ducks career would end after just one snap, and he would redshirt in 2021. Suamataia made the decision to use the transfer portal and play for BYU closer to home after growing homesick. He played a great game and soon established himself as the Cougars’ right tackle.
He did not allow any sacks in 361 pass-blocked snaps. Suamataia switched to the left side in 2023 and maintained his strong play the entire season, surrendering just two sacks.
Advantages
great arm length (34″) and size for the role
nimble on his feet and has strong lateral agility
Capable of pulling, reaching, and sealing in the run game
successfully mimics pass rushers
Strong and infrequently overcome by defenders
played both RT and LT
Limitations
Defenders can get into his chest and guide him back with late hands.
He can be sluggish to respond to counters, therefore he gets beat up inside a lot.
Punches miss because their hands are frequently beyond the defender’s frame.
Improvements are needed in awareness; late blitzers and rushers on stunts were overlooked.
How the Commanders See Him
The Commanders require quick assistance at the positions due to the release of Charles Leno, Jr., Andrew Wylie’s subpar performance, and Cornelius Lucas’s free agency. Mason Brooks or Alex Akingbulu are unlikely to be the answer in this role. This implies that in order to solve their tackle problem, the Commanders will have to turn to the draft and free agency. The franchise is well-positioned to spend heavily in free agency and has six of the first 101 draft picks at their disposal.
Kingsley Suamataia has alluring physical characteristics, including a large physique, long arms, and exceptional athleticism. He makes good use of several of those physical attributes to shield the quarterback and create passing lanes. Having said that, in order to be the best version of himself, he needs to work on a few areas of his technique. He has a long shot at starting in the league if he can work on improving his awareness, recuperation time, and hand placement. Suamataia should be started on the right side of the line, where he will face fewer snaps against the strongest pass rusher on the team. He might eventually be able to flip to the left if he becomes better. As Suamataia improves his shortcomings early in his career, he could also offer depth at swing tackle.