BYU finished their first season in the Big 12 in December. The Cougars did not go on to a bowl game and were not selected to the College Football Playoff. BYU probably wished for a better season, particularly at least a bowl game appearance, but now there is something to build on.
The Cougars will not be losing a lot of guys to the draft. Only six BYU players declared for the draft, most of them due to being out of eligibility. BYU is losing more guys to graduation than the draft, but the players going to the draft are big ones. Kingsley Suamataia can be a day one guy, but definitely a day two guy at late being a top offensive tackle.
Here is my projection of when these Cougars will hear their name during the 2024 NFL Draft.
Kingsley Suamataia is a strong offensive tackle in this year's draft. He is big and athletic and can block with the best of them. Suamataia has a strong and balanced frame with good hands and feet. He has good speed off the line to get to blocks and can move around well to keep his block.
The 49ers need a solid offensive line with a running game behind Christian McCaffrey, and they need a solid line to protect Brock Purdy. While they have a great line already, they need it to be elite. Suamataia can help make this line elite with his size and ability to get off the line.
Kedon Slovis seemed like a quarterback that could have been taken high in the draft whenever he chose to declare after his freshman year at USC. Slovis then went downhill the next two seasons with the Trojans in comparison to stats. He then transferred to Pitt for a year and used his last year of eligibility at BYU.
Slovis has upside however, he has good strength and the ability to zip the ball on shorter passes. He is also very accurate in the shorter passing game but lacks arm strength and accuracy on the long ball. He has a good ability to run and is smart, some things that can't be taught. The things he isn't quite as good at can be learned, which makes him a blank canvas.
The Seahawks have Geno Smith and Drew Lock, but Smith will become an unrestricted free agent in 2025 and Lock may not be the long-term guy with Pete Carrol gone now. The Seahawks might want a Brock Purdy-type guy so that they can see what they have. Slovis could be that guy for them. If he doesn't work out, you didn't spend a ton of money with the late draft pick, but if he does work out, you just stole a quality quarterback in the seventh round.
Undrafted free agents
- TE Isaac Rex
- RB Deion Smith
- P Ryan Rehkow
- RB Aidan Robbins