SALT LAKE CITY — Another top offensive tackle from the state of Utah is planning on playing collegiately for the Oregon Ducks.
On Tuesday, a day after former Desert Hills High star Penei Sewell announced he is leaving the Ducks for the NFL, Orem’s Kingsley Suamataia announced his pledge to the program.
Suamataia, ranked by 247 Sports as the top prospect in Utah for the Class of 2021 and the top offensive lineman in the West, declared his choice in an Instagram live video from Utah County.
Here is the moment that @KAhyouSuamataia made his commitment to @coach_cristobal and the Oregon Ducks. https://t.co/xinLZ3OBqY pic.twitter.com/jqAtEIM3ou
— Kevin Wade (@KwadeSays) September 9, 2020
Oregon was long considered the frontrunner for Suamataia, at least in part because he had built a relationship with the Sewell family. Noah Sewell, Penei Sewell’s younger brother, finished his prep career at Orem and is now a freshman with the Ducks, and the patriarch of the family, Gabriel Sewell Sr., has been an assistant coach with the Tigers and is now serving as interim head coach.
Still, there were four other hats on the table Tuesday night as Suamataia announced his decision: BYU, Utah, Virginia and USC.
Before announcing his choice, the 6-foot-6, 309-pound Suamataia thanked his Heavenly Father, parents, sisters, extended family, coaches, teachers, church leaders and trainer “for helping and supporting me throughout this process. Thank you all,” he said.
After thanking all the coaches who recruited him, Suamataia said, “With that being said, I would like to humbly and prayerfully announce for the next three or four years, I will be furthering my education and football career at the University of Oregon.”
Another standout Utah student-athlete, Kearns High’s Jeffrey Bassa, could be joining Suamataia in Oregon. Bassa announced Tuesday evening that he’s whittled down his list of potential programs to three: Oregon, Utah and Oklahoma State.
The Final 3. 🤞🏾 pic.twitter.com/k4AB2Cvcpx
— Jeffrey Bassa (@Bassa_21) September 9, 2020