Bruce Feldman: I could have made the case Kingsley Suamataia should be no. 1

Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 325-pounds, Kingsley Suamataia is a freak on paper. But what the BYU star is able to do with that size is what landed him on Bruce Feldman’s annual Freaks list.

Joining On3’s Andy Staples, the college football insider revealed why he decided to slot the former Oregon Ducks transfer so high on his list, and why he could be one of the Big 12’s most feared offensive lineman in 2023.

“I knew he was probably going to be on [the freak’s list] and then Aaron Roderick, offensive coordinator at BYU, sent me a text and was like he’s the most violent, athletic offensive lineman that I’ve ever been around,” Feldman told Staples. “They just had a guy in Blake Freeland — who was a legit freak offensive lineman … he lit up the combine, he ran in the high 4.9’s, and [for Suamataia] to be more athletic as well at 23 pounds bigger.

“He said you need to talk to our sports science guy.”

And that’s what Feldman did. BYU sports scientist Skyler Mayne revealed to Feldman just how freakish Suamataia actually is — calling him “off the charts,” and that he is “faster than our linebackers.” He’s also a freak in the weigh room, according to Mayne, and he makes everything he does look simply effortless.

“They clocked him going 21.5 [MPH] on the GPS — which is flying,” Feldman said. “He wasn’t 325 [pounds], he was 318, that is still huge, but … 21.5 MPH, if you’re 218 pounds is good. 21.5 is you’re 318 means I probably maybe could have made him no. 1 over Nyckolas Harbor.”

As Feldman points out in more depth, BYU OC Aaron Roderick has officially coached three freaks to this point in his career. Or, at least three that have appeared on Feldman’s annual list. The first was current Denver Broncos offensive lineman Garrett Bolles. The two crossed paths at Utah, and Bolles has gone on to start in every game he’s played for after getting drafted in the first round.

The second was at BYU just this time last year. Blake Freeland, who Feldman mentioned earlier, is a 6-8, 302-pound left tackle that crushed every combine drill he could. He ran a 4.98 40-yard dash, showcased his 37-inch vertical jump — a combine record for offensive tackles — before finally broad-jumping 10-0, which one inch shy from setting another combine record.

Still, by Feldman’s count, it seems as though Suamataia is more athletic that both of them. In 2022, 300-plus pound Suamataia did not allow a sack during all of last season, which spanned 361 pass plays.

He’ll look to continue that success in 2023 as BYU takes its first steps into its new conference. The new season kicks off on Sept. 2 against Sam Houston State.