Kingsley Suamataia Could be the Future at Offensive Tackle for the Commanders

Hogs Haven takes a look at 2024 NFL Draft prospects that could contribute to the Commanders

Kingsley Suamataia, OT
School: BYU | Conference: Big 12
College Experience: RS Sophomore| Age: 21
Height / Weight: 6’5” / 326 lbs
Projected Draft Status: Rounds 2-3

Player Comparison: Abraham Lucas

Player Overview

It seems like football was an inevitability for Kingsley Suamataia. His cousins include Penei and Noah Sewell. His high school team, which won four consecutive state championships, included Puka Nacua. A highly coveted prospect, Suamataia decided to follow in his cousins’ footsteps and play at Oregon over Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Ohio State. He would only play one snap with the Ducks before redshirting in 2021. After getting homesick, Suamataia decided to enter the transfer portal and play closer to home for BYU. He quickly became a starter for the Cougars at right tackle and provided stellar play. In 361 pass blocking snaps, he gave up no sacks. In 2023, Suamataia flipped to the the left side and continued to perform well, only giving up two sacks the entire season.

Strengths

• Great size for the position with good arm length (34”)
• Light on his feet with good lateral quickness
• Athletic enough to pull, reach, and seal in the run game
• Effectively mirrors pass rushers
• Strong, rarely ever overpowered by defenders speaks
• Has played LT and RT

Weaknesses

• Late hands allow defenders to get into his chest and walk him back
• Beat inside a lot because he can be slow to react to counters
• Punch doesn’t land because hands often outside frame of defender
• Awareness needs improvement; missed late blitzers and rushers on stunts

Let’s See His Work

Kingsley Suamataia is #78 playing left tackle in the games below

How He Fits on the Commanders

With the release of Charles Leno, Jr., the poor play of Andrew Wylie, and the free agency of Cornelius Lucas, the Commanders need immediate help at the positions. It is unlikely that Alex Akingbulu or Mason Brooks will be the solution at the position. That means the Commanders will need to use free agency and the draft to fix their tackle problem. With tons of money to spend in free agency and six of the first 101 draft picks, the team is in a good position to do so.

The physical traits of Kingsley Suamataia are enticing: the huge frame, long arms, and top-notch athleticism. He uses a lot of those physical gifts well to protect the quarterback and open up running lanes. With that said, there are a few aspects of his technique he needs to improve to be the best version of himself. If he can improve his hand placement, his ability to recover, and his awareness, he should be a starter in the league for a long-time. It’d be best to start Suamataia on the right side of the line where he would see less snaps against a team’s best pass rusher. If he improves, he may be able to flip to the left in the future. Suamataia could also provide swing tackle depth early in his career as he cleans up his weaknesses.