Will 2026 NFL Draft prospect Kenyon Sadiq be the next tight end to take the NFL by storm, or will he falter to the hype at the at the next level?
When it comes to talent at the tight end position, there has been no one that jumps off the charts and highlight reel like Sadiq over the last two seasons at Oregon. At 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, the size and pure athleticism has caught and will catch the eyes of many NFL scouts throughout the pre-draft process.
A great route runner with dynamic skills when it comes to leaping and powering through defenders once he catches the ball, Sadiq will remind longtime NFL fans of Vernon Davis, who was selected with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.
Sadiq brings a Vernon Davis type skillset to the NFL
Strong, fast, athletic and simply eclectic, Davis emerged out of the University of Maryland to become one of the most productive tight ends in the NFL. Similar in size to Sadiq, the former NFL tight end used his 6-foot-3, 248-pound frame to create mismatches against defenses as a player with a wide receiver skillset playing at the tight end position.
Although it took Davis a few seasons in the NFL to really emerge, he did finish his career with 583 receptions for 7,652 yards and 63 touchdowns with his best two seasons coming in 2009 and 2010 with the 49ers.
In those two seasons, Davis totaled 134 catches for 1,879 yards and 20 touchdowns and solidified himself as a big-time target who opposing defenses had to gameplan for. Sadiq looks like that type of player with his route running versatility and ability to create yards after the catch. NFL teams like the Denver Broncos, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers are teams who will be looking at Sadiq closely as that big wide receiver type of tight end who can play in the slot and split wide to really put the pressure on opposing defenses.
With the success of previous tight ends selected in the first round like Tyler Warren, Brock Bowers and Kyle Pitts, there will be pressure on Sadiq to be the next great tight end playmaker. He has the athleticism, hands and leaping skills to be a unique force in the NFL if he is drafted in the right situation to take advantage of and utilize his skillset.
While Sean Payton and the Broncos stand out as that team, he will need to be in a situation where he is not counted on as a primary target. As a physical blocker, teams can use him in the run game to set him up as a receiver in play action situations. Once he is in space, he can break ankles and power through tackles to create yards after the catch like Davis did in his day.
In summary, with the right quarterback and in the right system, Sadiq can be a dynamic force at the NFL level and remind folks of Davis. But the goal is to be the NFL’s next Kenyon Sadiq and leave any fandom he is drafted into in awe.