BYU’s Kingsley Suamataia drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs

BYU offensive lineman Kingsley Suamataia was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft with the 63rd overall pick on Friday.

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DETROIT, Mich. — BYU offensive lineman Kingsley Suamataia was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft with the 63rd overall pick on Friday.

“Kingsley is not just a terrific player with tremendous ability, but a person a great organization like the Chiefs, Coach Andy Reid and the fans in Kansas City will love on and off the field,” head coach Kalani Sitake said. “I am just so proud and happy for him and the entire Suamataia family.”

With the selection of the 6-foot-5, 326-pound Suamataia, BYU has had its last three starting left tackles drafted in the NFL. In 2023, Suamataia’s former teammate Blake Freeland was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round while Consensus All-American Brady Christensen was taken by the Carolina Panthers in the third round in 2021.

From Orem, Utah, Suamataia, is the fifth highest offensive line pick from BYU, behind John Tait (1999, 14th overall), Trevor Matich (1985, 28th overall), Gordon Gravelle (1972, 38th overall) and Paul Howard (1973, 54th overall).

Suamataia, who started 22 games for the Cougars over two years, becomes the fourth offensive lineman and the 13th BYU offensive player to be selected in one of the opening two rounds of the NFL Draft. Overall, he is the 21st BYU player to be taken in the first two rounds. Suamataia is the 35th Cougar offensive lineman to be drafted overall.

The last Cougar selected in the second round was linebacker Kyle Van Noy, picked 40th overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2014 NFL Draft. Van Noy has gone on to play for the Patriots, where he won two Super Bowls, Dolphins, Chargers and is entering his 11th season overall in the league, currently with the Baltimore Ravens.  BYU’s last offensive lineman taken in the second round was Gravelle in the 1972 Draft to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Gravelle went on to play eight seasons in the NFL and won two Super Bowls with Pittsburgh and played in a third with the Los Angeles Rams.

An All-Big 12 selection in 2023, Suamataia becomes just the third BYU player selected by Kansas City in the NFL Draft. The last player was fellow offensive lineman John Tait, BYU’s highest offensive line pick ever, a first-rounder at 14th overall in 1999. Tait played 10 seasons in the NFL with the Chiefs and the Bears, playing in 148 games with 139 starts. Center Orinn Olsen was also picked by the Chiefs back in 1976 in the eighth round.

The Chiefs, who traded up one spot to select Suamataia, are coming off back-to-back Super Bowl wins, led by head coach Andy Reid, a former BYU offensive lineman himself, playing for the Cougars under LaVell Edwards from 1978-80. Reid spent the 1982 season as a graduate assistant at BYU at the start of his coaching career which now spans more than 40 years and includes four Super Bowl rings, including three as head coach in Kansas City.  

BYU in the NFL Draft
The Cougars have been represented in 52 of the last 57 drafts and in 69 of the 89 drafts conducted overall. With Suamataia’s selection, NFL teams have now drafted a former BYU player 155 times since the team’s first draft choice in 1938 (John Stringham, Back, ninth round). Entering this year’s post-draft free agency signings, 210 additional Cougars have received NFL deals as free agents following the annual draft.  

Suamataia at BYU
Suamataia transferred to BYU after redshirting the 2021 season at Oregon.

An Orem High School product, Suamataia played in 24 games, starting 22 for the Cougars.

Suamataia, a team captain in 2023, was ranked among the Top-30 Big 12 players entering the 2023 season by College Football News and was selected to the All-Big 12 Second Team following the season and the Phil Steele All-Big 12 Third Team.

In addition to being named to the 2023 Outland Trophy and Polynesian Football Player of the Year award watch lists, the sophomore was a preseason All-Big 12 pick by College Football News, Athlon Sports and Phil Steele.

In 2022, he was a Freshman All-America Second Team selection by the Athletic after surrendering 0 sacks on pass plays.

Suamataia was among the nation’s most heralded high school prospects in the 2021 recruiting class, being rated a consensus top-40 player by both Rivals (No. 23) and 247Sports (No. 36). By position, Rivals (No. 5), 247Sports (No. 6) and ESPN (No. 11) rated Suamataia as one of the 11-best offensive tackles in the country.

Suamataia’s cousins, offensive tackle Penei Sewell was a first-round pick out of Oregon by the Detroit Lions in 2021 while linebacker Noah Sewell, was a fifth-round selection by Chicago last season.