BYU offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia is an athletic blocker with the size, length, and power required to be an instant starter at the next level. Suamataia best projects as a high-end blindside protector. The Cougars standout is a potential top-32 selection.
The former Oregon Ducks transfer displays excellent power at the point of attack. Suamataia displaces defenders with short-area burst and sheer power. Lateral movement skills are routinely on display for a blocker that maintains aggressiveness through the whistle.
Suamataia tested impressively at the NFL Combine. The 326-pound Suamataia ran a 5.04 with a 1.74 10-yard split. Suamataia also leaped a 9-foot-2 broad. We've identified three ideal team fits for Suamataia in the 2024 NFL Draft.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Who's going to play left tackle for the Chiefs in 2024? I'm not convinced there's an in-house answer on the roster. Veteran tackle Donovan Smith manned Patrick Mahomes' blind side throughout 2023, but the Chiefs haven't shown much interest in re-signing Smith, who remains available on the market.
Smith was putrid as a run blocker, earning a grade of 45.1 from Pro Football Focus. Smith also allowed 42 pressures and was whistled for nine penalties. Sophomore third-round pick Wanya Morris is currently slated to replace Smith at left tackle. Morris played sparingly as a rookie and the results were below average.
The Chiefs can't possibly entrust Morris as Smith's succession plan. The Chiefs have legitimate aspirations to three-peat as Super Bowl champions. Suamataia would be plug-and-play at No. 32 overall.
DALLAS COWBOYS
The Cowboys are figuring out how to shuffle things across their in-transition offensive line. More concerned with the extensions needed for their own players such as Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons, the Cowboys have signed just one unrestricted free agent this summer in veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks. They have lost two starting offensive linemen in center Tyler Biadasz and eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith.
Smith's departure creates a sizable hole at left tackle, a position he’d filled for the previous decade. Kicking left guard Tyler Smith to tackle is an option, but it's not the only scenario. The Cowboys are almost certainly going to draft a tackle, center, or guard with the 24th selection. Suamataia should be shortlisted as a possibility.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
The 49ers had a difficult time replacing Mike McGlinchey at right tackle last season. Former fifth-round selection Colton McKivitz filled McGlinchey's spot throughout 2023 and struggled in pass protection, allowing 47 pressures and 9.0 sacks. The 49ers advanced to the Super Bowl despite McKivitz's lackluster form but an upgrade would work wonders for this offense. Suamataia was a primary right tackle in 2022 before playing the left side in 2023.
The 49ers require talent at premium positions on rookie contracts. The inevitable Brock Purdy extension is beginning to creep up on general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. Drafting Suamataia with the 31st pick and having him shore up right tackle for the next four or five seasons via a cost-controlled deal would be a much-welcomed outcome.
