:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73305894/2046454630.0.jpg)
It’s been no secret that Kingsley Suamataia will be the first player from BYU selected in this year’s NFL draft. The former Cougar offensive tackle has been a projected pick for days one or two of the draft, going back to last off-season. While of the 32 teams have the opportunity to select Kingsley this weekend, we can give ourselves a more educated guess by looking at which team used a Top 30 visit on him.
“What is a Top 30 visit?”
Top 30 visits are the visits permitted by the NFL for each team to host a player privately after the NFL combine. Teams use these visits to evaluate their own medicals, get a better feel for team fit, or simply to play the game and get another’s team interest away from a player.
There’s no guarantee that a team that hosted a player on a Top 30 visit will be the team that drafts that player, but it is a way to at least gauge a team’s interest and see which teams could be likely possibilities.
Suamataia was formally hosted by six teams as one of their Top 30 visits. Let’s take a look at the teams and how the fit for Kingsley could be for each of them.
Possible Pick: 54
For the third straight year, the Cleveland Browns are left without a first-round selection after sending theirs to the Texans in the Deshaun Watson trade. That leaves them with only one pick that could be within the range of Suamataia.
The Browns could be a nice fit for Kingsley. As of right now, their starting tackles consist of Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin. Wills is playing on his fifth-year option, and Conklin is signed for two more seasons. While not running a lot of power-run schemes at BYU, if the Browns feel the future of Wills as their left tackle is in question, they could look to Kingsley as a replacement for the future.
Possible Picks: 34 or 68
The Patriots are in serious need of an offensive tackle. They do have the #3 overall selection, but the overall consensus seems to be a QB for the pick, and for good reason. But taking a look at their offensive tackle depth leaves a lot to be desired.
Kingsley could be their franchise tackle of the future. With needs on both sides of the line, they have an interest in a player who has the versatility to play on either side, like Kingsley showed in college. With Bill Belichick gone, the Patriots are ushering in a new era. If they do select a QB at pick 3, it seems reasonable that they select the player to protect that new QB with their next selections.
Houston Texans
Possible Picks: 42 or 59
The Texans may be the least likely landing spot for Kingsley to start earlier than later in his career. The zone-blocking schemes Houston uses would be great for a player like Kingsley to make his transition in the NFL. However, it seems for now that the Texans have their starting tackles figured out.
On the left side, they have Leremy Tunsil, one of the best left tackles in the NFL. On the right side is Tytus Howard, a player who is probably underrated because of his partner on the left side. Both of them are under contract for the next three seasons, making it seem like Kingsley would be a more a depth addition than an early contributor.
Possible Picks: 32 or 64
The Kansas City Chiefs are very familiar with BYU. Could Big Red be looking to add another Cougar to his team? It could make sense to think so. The Chiefs hosted Kingsley on a Top 30 visit this spring, and they do have a need for another tackle.
Jawaan Taylor has the right side locked up and is under contract for another three seasons. However, the Chiefs don’t seem to have a long-term option at left tackle, with Wanya Morris as the likely incumbent right now. Chiefs fans may not want to see a tackle taken early because of some of the other needs for the team, but protecting Patrick Mahomes will always seem like a good idea.
Possible Picks: 31 or 63
The 49ers don’t have a lot of holes, but it’s possible they could look to improve along the offensive line early. Trent Williams remains one of the best tackles in the league, but there is no getting around the question of when his age will catch up to him.
Kingsley could be an immediate upgrade on the right side to Colton McKivitz, and with his versatility, he could slide over to the left whenever Williams decides to hang them up. Kyle Shanahan could also be a coach to see past some of the inefficiencies Kingsley could have early on for the upside he brings athletically. The 49ers are also built to make up for some of the mistakes you may see from a rookie tackle.
Possible Picks: 24 or 56
There has been recent chatter about the Cowboys selecting Kingsley with their first round selection. While this may be surprising to some, it might not be as far-fetched as it seems with the Cowboys selecting Tyler Smith in the first round during the 2022 draft. They have a history of showing they will draft a player early if they like them enough.
The Cowboys would like the opportunity to use Kingsley as a swing tackle with his experience playing both sides of the line. With Tyron Smith leaving in free agency, it leaves the left tackle position open. Current Cowboys tackle Terrence Steele also has swing tackle ability, so the Cowboys could plug and play their tackles on either side if Kingsley were selected.
Loading comments...