2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

Name: Kenyon Sadiq

Position: Tight End

School: University of Oregon

Height/Weight: 6’3”, 245 lbs

Class: Junior (2025 season)

Hometown: Idaho Falls, ID

High School: Skyline High School

Recruiting Rank: 4-star recruit, No. 78 nationally (247Sports), consensus top-10 ATH, No. 1 player in Idaho (2023 class)

Draft Projections (as of February 2026):

• ESPN (Mel Kiper Big Board, updated February 2026) → No. 14 overall, TE1

• Pro Football Network (PFSN Big Board, February 2026) → Top 20 overall, TE1

• PFF (Big Board, updated February 2026) → Top 20 overall, TE1

• NFL.com (prospect profile) → First-round projection, high-end move TE

• NFL Draft Buzz (profile) → Mid-first round, TE1

• Consensus (NFL Mock Draft Database, February 2026) → ~18.5 overall (TE1 average)

Career Background

A consensus four-star athlete out of Skyline High School in Idaho Falls, Sadiq was the top recruit in Idaho history and chose Oregon over offers from Michigan, Texas, Washington, and others. He redshirted minimally and contributed immediately as a true freshman in a loaded room, then steadily climbed the depth chart. In 2025, he took over as the primary tight end and delivered a breakout campaign, becoming the first Oregon player ever to win Big Ten Tight End of the Year while earning Mackey Award finalist honors. He declared for the 2026 NFL Draft in January 2026 after three seasons in Eugene.

Career Stats

• 2023 (Freshman) → 5 rec / 24 yds / 1 TD

• 2024 (Sophomore) → 24 rec / 308 yds / 2 TDs

• 2025 (Junior) → 51 rec / 560 yds / 8 TDs

• Career Totals (3 Seasons) → 80 rec / 892 yds / 11 TDs

Advanced Stats (2025):

• PFF Overall Offensive Grade → 70.4 (8th-ranked TE)

• PFF Receiving Grade → 69.0 (13th-ranked TE)

• QB RTG When Targeted → 139.9

• Receptions/Targets → 51/67 (76.1%)

• Contested Catch → 7 rec / 12 targ (58.3%)

• Drops → 6 (on 67 targets)

• Yards After Catch → 248 (4.9 per rec / ~44% of total yards)

• Missed Tackles Forced → 8 (strong YAC creator)

• Inline Rate → 27.7% (114 snaps) / Slot & Wide Heavy Usage

Awards and Accolades

High School:

• Idaho 4A Player of the Year (senior)

• Consensus 4-star, top-80 nationally

College:

• Big Ten Tight End of the Year (2025) – first Oregon player to win it

• First-Team All-Big Ten (2025)

• John Mackey Award Finalist (2025)

• Key contributor on Oregon’s College Football Playoff team (2025)

Character and Leadership

Sadiq is universally described by coaches and teammates as a high-character, high-effort player with elite work ethic and leadership by example. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning has repeatedly praised his maturity and toughness, noting in 2025 that Sadiq “begged” to play through injuries and embodied the program’s standard. Tight ends coach Drew Mehringer called him a “great job” guy who figured things out quickly as a freshman and became a vocal leader in the room. Teammates highlight his humility, relentless preparation, and ability to elevate those around him—especially in a room that produced multiple NFL tight ends before him.

No arrests, legal issues, suspensions, or off-field red flags reported across ESPN, local Idaho/Oregon media, police records, or draft sources. He is viewed as a positive locker-room presence and dedicated professional-in-the-making.

Injuries

Sadiq dealt with nagging lower-body injuries (primarily from hard falls) throughout the 2025 season, missing the Iowa game and playing limited in others. He was “very limited” in the first Indiana matchup but returned stronger for the postseason. No surgeries or major structural damage; scouts view him as durable with full medical clearance expected at the Combine.

Play Style

Sadiq is a modern, versatile “move” tight end who lines up inline, in the slot, out wide, and at H-back. He’s an explosive athlete with rare get-up speed for the position, elite YAC vision/power, and the body control to win contested catches and hurdle defenders. He’s already a willing and effective blocker in space and on the move, with upside to improve vs. power defenders. Fits spread/11 personnel offenses that stress mismatches; comps include Delanie Walker (athleticism + YAC) with shades of Travis Kelce (route nuance and explosiveness).

Strengths

1.  Elite Explosiveness & Athleticism — Rare burst and leaping ability; gets to top speed instantly and creates yards after contact.

2.  YAC Threat — Vision, power, and elusiveness make him a nightmare in space (nearly half his 2025 yards came after the catch).

3.  Positional Versatility — Can play every TE spot; forces defensive mismatches across the formation.

4.  Red-Zone/Contested-Catch Ability — Led FBS TEs with 8 touchdowns; strong hands and body control in traffic (7/12 contested).

5.  Blocking Upside — High-effort, physical in space; already effective on the move and improving inline.

Weaknesses

1.  Frame/Size Limitations — 6’3” is solid but not the massive inline prototype some teams prefer. But has a dense and physical frame

2.  Occasional Drops — 6 drops on 67 targets; hands are generally reliable but can improve under pressure.

3.  Power Blocking vs. Bigger Defenders — Effective in space but needs refinement anchoring vs. 285+ lb. edge defenders.

4.  Deep Production Efficiency — Big-play ability is there, but volume efficiency dipped in some big games.

5.  Injury Nagging — 2025 lower-body issues require monitoring, though nothing chronic reported

Final Evaluation

Kenyon Sadiq is the clear TE1 in the 2026 class and a legitimate first-round talent. Cross-referencing PFF, PFN, ESPN, NFL.com, and The 33rd Team shows consensus on his explosive athleticism, YAC creation, and scheme versatility as a true mismatch weapon. While production wasn’t gaudy in a run-heavy, star-filled Oregon offense, his per-target efficiency (51/67, 139.9 QB RTG), contested-catch wins (7/12), and blocking effort paint the picture of a Day 1 impact player. In modern NFL offenses that deploy TEs as chess pieces (think Kelce/Walker hybrids), Sadiq projects as a high-upside starter who can contribute immediately as a receiving threat and special teams asset while growing into a complete every-down tight end. He carries mid-to-late first-round value and could climb into the top 15 with a strong Combine and pro day.

Sources

• ESPN (Mel Kiper Big Board, prospect profiles)

• PFF (2025 grades from your CSV export, receiving analysis)

• Pro Football Network (Big Board, scouting reports)

• NFL.com (prospect profile, Lance Zierlein)

• NFL Draft Buzz (full profile)

• Oregon Athletics / Sports-Reference (bio, stats, accolades)

• The 33rd Team / Daft on Draft / A to Z Sports (detailed scouting reports)

• Local media (OregonLive, Ducks Wire) for character and injury context