The latest player to commit to the BYU football program is a big one, and a homegrown talent.
Former Orem High offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia, who played half a season at Oregon this year before reportedly entering the NCAA transfer portal a little over a week ago, announced Friday on social media he will next play for the Cougars.
The 6-foot-6, 317-pound Suamataia was among the most highly sought-after recruits nationally in the 2021 class, as both 247 Sports and Rivals rated him a five-star prospect and a consensus top 40 recruit in that class.
Suamataia had a long list of scholarship offers coming out of high school, per 247 Sports, including Power Five programs such as Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma and USC, among others, in addition to local schools BYU, Utah and Utah State.
Suamataia was projected as a first-round NFL talent when he left high school by 247 Sports’ Blair Angulo, who wrote of his skills, “Long limbs and well-proportioned frame without bad weight. Broad shoulders and plenty of room to build mass. … Positional versatility to fit at either tackle or guard. Must improve toughness and relentlessness. Potential multi-year starter at elite Power Five level and future NFL draft high-round selection.”
Suamataia played in one game as a true freshman this season for the Ducks, on Sept. 18 against FCS opponent Stony Brook. He was listed as a backup at left tackle on Oregon’s depth chart over the first seven games of the season.
Suamataia joins a BYU offensive line group brimming with young talent, including sophomores Blake Freeland and Harris LaChance and freshman Campbell Barrington, all of whom have started at offensive tackle for the Cougars this season.
The addition of this highly talent offensive lineman is the latest in a line of impressive commits for BYU since the announcement in mid-September that the Cougars would be joining the Big 12 in 2023.
Since that time, two four-star recruits — Corner Canyon High wide receiver Cody Hagen and Weber High defensive lineman Aisea Moa — have committed to the program, with Moa committing to BYU after decommitting from Utah.