Utah Utes 2021 prospect Kingsley Suamataia named to 'Preseason SI99'

It may be the month of August, and the COVID-19 pandemic may be seriously hindering recruiting for most of the college football programs throughout the country. But for the University of Utah, head coach Kyle Whittingham and co. are off to a stellar start in recruiting compared to where they usually are this time of year.

Headlining Utah's 2021 recruiting class is quarterback Peter Costelli, one of the top-ranked passers in the country according SI All American's John Garcia.

Joining Costelli is one of the premier running backs in the country in soon-to-be four-star running back Ricky Parks out of Gaither High School in Tampa, Florida. The Utes the secured their first wide receiver commit of the 2021 class when Deamikkio Nathan, the playmaker out of South Grand Prairie High School in Grand Prairie, Texas, announced his commitment to the Utes on July 1.

All three players have been named SI All-American nominees.

But now with skill players catching on, Utah is still looking to beef up the offensive line and four-star offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia is the ideal candidate. A local product out of Orem High School, keeping Suamataia in state is a huge priority for head coach Kyle Whittingham and his staff.

Unveiling the Preseason SI99 Football Prospect Rankings Congrats ⁦@KAhyouSuamataia⁩ #47 and #4 OT in the country(Even tho we know you #1) and only player from Utah. Love you boy, keep working! ⁦@OremTigerFball⁩ #1More4TheRoad #BusinessAsUsual https://t.co/2leDiXOjgh
— GoodStory Podcast (@Lsuamataia) August 24, 2020

As announced on Monday, Suamataia was named to SI All-American's Preseason SI99 — the 99 high school football seniors from across the nation that it ranks as the frontrunners for its coveted 2020 SI All-American first team.

Suamataia checks in as the No. 47 overall prospect in the nation and No. 1 in the state of Utah — while also being the No. 4 ranked tackle in the country.

The evaluation process will continue throughout the season “until the list of 1,000 contenders coalesces around just 25 young men who can say proudly they are the best of the best -- they are Sports Illustrated All-Americans,” said SI Director of Football Recruiting John Garcia Jr.

The candidates will be narrowed to 250 in October and 99 in November, and will culminate with 25 first-team Sports Illustrated All-Americans saluted at SI’s annual Sportsperson of the Year banquet in New York in December.

Suamataia's top seven schools include the presumptive favorite Oregon, in-state programs Utah, Utah State and BYU, darkhorse USC and Arkansas and Virginia.

Listed at 6-foot-6, 305-pounds, Suamataia is the No. 1 prospect in the state of Utah and its not even close. He's also viewed as a top-10 offensive tackle and top-60 overall prospect. He's spent much of the COVID-19 pandemic training with with Penei Sewell, Oregon's star offesnive tackle and widely considered the best lineman in the college football.

Right now the Ducks are the presumed favorites, taking all of the crystal balls in 247sports' projections. Suamataia is extremely close with Penei and Noah Sewell, two current Ducks who have been a major part of his recruiting. USC is also making a late push as a bunch of recruits have begun to make their pitch via social media.

But the Utes are still alive, albeit barely. Given Utah's past track record of offensive linemen, its style of play and being so local, it's believed that the Utes could make this very interesting in the end.

Here's a complete breakdown by SI All-American director of recruiting John Garcia regarding what Suamataia can do at the next level...

Prospect: Kingsley Suamataia
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-4, 278 pounds
Position: Offensive Tackle
School: Orem (Utah)
Schools of Interest: Oregon, BYU and Georgia, among others.
Projected Position: Left Tackle

Frame: Athletic frame for an offensive lineman with long arms and thin ankles. Will easily continue to add mass and strength at 278 pounds.

Athleticism: Excellent balance and agility in both the run and pass game. Possesses good foot quickness and change of direction to execute his assignments. Fluid in space and has no issues on the second level or vs. smaller defenders. Easy movement skills to pull and trap, and can routinely wide-wash rushers on the edges past the quarterback in pass protection.

Instincts: Kingsley has solid instincts as a pass protector, evidenced by his ability to use his hands as a quick counter vs. rushers who attempt to stab him with an initial long arm. He also understands how to use a snatch-and-trap technique on the edge. Good vision and target-locate ability are displayed when he is asked to pull from his left tackle position.

Polish: He will need to continue refining his 45-degree set and be more disciplined in his base as a pass protector while becoming more consistent to play with a low pad level at the point of attack. After he fills out his frame, Kingsley should be ready to contribute to a college offensive line early in his career.

Bottom Line: This is an athletic lineman who has the movement skills, agility, frame and adjustability to recover to play left tackle. He also has the toughness to play guard, if need be. Kingsley fits best in a zone-blocking scheme, yet he has the foot quickness and athleticism to pull, trap, pin, seal and execute deuce blocks. He is somewhat reminiscent of former USC offensive lineman Chuma Edoga.

Want to share opinions or ask questions? We want to hear them! Making a profile is free and it only takes ~1 minute to set up. Also, be sure to like us on social media for future coverage:

Twitter — @UtahUtes_SI and Ryan Kostecka at @Ryan_Kostecka

Add us as a preferred source on Google