Kingsley Suamataia Ready to 'Outwork' Competition for Chiefs' LT Job

At rookie minicamp, KC's second-round pick spoke about battling for a starting gig as a rookie.

Mar 3, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Brigham Young offensive lineman Kingsley Suamataia (OL65) during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

This weekend, the Kansas City Chiefs' first-year players are getting their initial experiences of what being in the NFL is like. Rookie minicamp is a great way for coaches to do some initial evaluating of their newcomers, even with OTAs and mandatory minicamp still on the horizon.

For some, it's also an opportunity to keep the bar high as far as expectations are concerned. Not many rookies are facing that more than second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia. General manager Brett Veach has already referred to the BYU man as "good competition" for Wanya Morris, which is a narrative that's bled into minicamp.

Suamataia, while wanting to blend in and keep a low profile as a rookie, says he's ready for that battle and seems excited to embrace the challenge.

"Most definitely," Suamataia said. "Just coming in to work every day, you know, I've got to put my best foot forward and just outwork the guy in front of me. I definitely love all the guys that are here, but now coming in [as] a rookie, just trying to gain all the knowledge I can so I can learn the playbook the best and so I can potentially be out there and play next to him. It's definitely a great opportunity for me. I'm super excited and actually happy, you know, because it feels like Coach can put that on me that I can play, so I'm ready."

At this point, Morris may still be holding the inside edge on that starting job. After all, he does have a year of NFL experience under his belt and oftentimes held his own when relieving Donovan Smith. Following Smith's departure and a path for Morris seemingly being cleared, however, the organization has made a concerted effort to bring in someone to push him. That someone is Suamataia, a fellow Day 2 draft selection in his own right.

Thanks to an elite blend of explosiveness, fluidity and quickness, Suamataia is able to convert to power well and seems to glide in and out of his reps. He's got a year of starting snaps on each side of the line and is still just 21 years old despite that. Suamataia has also revealed that dating back to his pre-draft meetings with the Chiefs, he and head coach Andy Reid hit it off.

Kansas City didn't mention anything about starting during those conversations, but it sure seems like a possibility now. Although that's the case in May, the rookie remains focused on simply getting off on the right foot and setting the tone.

The rest can and potentially will handle itself, even if it means flashing that versatility with a more entrenched veteran holding down the right tackle position.

"No, nobody told me anything about starting spots or anything," Suamataia said. "I'm just coming in to work [and], like I said, put my best foot forward and show them what talent I have and what I can do as a left tackle. But I can play both. I can play right as well. Coach (Andy) Heck threw me in at right tackle for a couple of series yesterday, and it went good. So just being able to show I'm versatile — I can play left and right — and I'm comfortable at doing it."

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