Kingsley Suamataia scouting report: Exploring the BYU OT's strengths and weaknesses

A top-50 overall recruit for Oregon in 2021, Kingsley Suamataia played in one game for the Ducks during a redshirt 2021 season, before transferring and starting all but one of 13 contests the following year for BYU. He was limited to 10 contests this past season, but still made second-team All-Big 12 for his efforts.

Details: 6’5”, 325 pounds; JR.

Breaking down Kingsley Suamataia's scouting report

Kingsley Suamataia #OL65 of Brigham Young participates in the 40-yard dash during the NFL Combine

Strengths

Run-blocking

• Kingsley Suamataia shows great urgency off the snap, to where he’s engaging with D-linemen just as they get out of their stance a few times.
• Packs a ton of force in his hands and rolls his hips through contact to create initial momentum as a run-blocker.
• Can cover plenty of ground horizontally on wide zone concepts and you occasionally see him fold underneath the guard on the backside.
• When there’s no angle to scoop-block defensive tackles as well as on inside zone, he washes down bodies in a significant fashion to blow open cutback lanes.
• Hastily flies up to the second level and is able to beat linebackers to the spot regularly.
• BYU used Suamataia on quite a few long pulls across the formation to take out force/overhang defenders.
• Showcases the upper and lower body dexterity to keep his hands latched onto moving targets as they’re trying to dip underneath and create angles toward the ball for themselves.
• Hit 21.5 MPH as a 318-pound freshman and you see that speed on plays out to the corner a few times – was number three on Bruce Feldman’s 2023 Freaks List.
• Understands how to release appropriately on screen passes and covers plenty of ground before locating and burying smaller defenders on plenty of occasions.

Pass-protection

• Kingsley Suamataia is a very fluid, easy mover in protection for a man of his dimensions.
• Uses his hands independently in a way where he widens the arc towards the quarterback for pass-rushers regularly.
• Has the sturdy base to sit on rushers and force them to actively work around him.
• Looking to constantly re-place his hands, bringing his elbows in tight and his arm underneath the chest plate.
• Even when guys off the edge seem to have an advantageous angle, Suamataia is able to add a shove to their side at the end which takes those guys past the QB.
• His eyes quickly transition inside when the end drops out or slow-plays the rush and he has the contact balance to swallow the charge of spiking linemen.
• Frequently takes advantage of rushers getting a little off balance and/or leaning too far into him by pushing them down onto the turf.
• Didn’t allow any sacks in 2022 and two last season, with 24 combined additional pressures across 742 total pass-pro snaps.

Weaknesses

• Kingsley Suamataia doesn’t yet center his blocks and apply force optimally in the run game, relying more on shoves to get guys off their landmarks – 52.9 PFF run-blocking grade in 2023.
• Could still use some work in the way he frames rushers and uses angles to his advantage, rather than treating it like a guard sliding laterally to stay in front of guys.
• At this point, Kingsley Suamataia relies on this “shuffle pass-set” and then has to widen the split between his feet when he does have to counter speed, which limits his balance and ability to redirect inside.
• Tends to get a little impatient and overextend for the initial punch against edge rushers.
• His job was made easier by the Cougars coaching staff, not being tasked with legit vertical sets a whole lot, with plenty of full-line slides and less than a third of his career plays on passing downs being counted “true pass sets.”

Kingsley Suamataia's 2024 NFL Draft projection

Puka Nacua #12, Connor Pay #70, Kingsley Suamataia #78, and Jaren Hall #3 of the Brigham Young Cougars celebrate after a touchdown

I was really going back and forth between labeling Kingsley Suamataia a tackle or guard.

On the one hand, I believe his incredibly strong anchor and ability to engage in combat with bumpers to either side of him would make him a more successful pass-protector from day one. However, you can probably get more out of him creating displacement in multiple directions as well as utilize him more regularly as a puller, if you put him inside.

On the other hand, I don’t believe it’s due to a lack of general movement skills or an inability to fit his hands accordingly that would limit his growth if he stays out on the edge.

Right now, Kingsley Suamataia's footwork and feel for framing rushers on an island is still a work in progress, but I believe he could be coached up to eventually become an average starter, at least in a system that takes some pressure off him with play-action.

While I don’t love making linemen move along the front early in his career, his best path may be starting at guard but also practicing frequently at tackle, especially if you have a veteran there, who doesn’t log a bunch of reps during the week.

Kingsley Suamataia Grade: Second round.

You might like other OT scouting reports: Amarius Mims; Taliese Fuaga; Joe Alt; J.C. Latham.