Jul 23, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Oregon Tight End Kenyon Sadiq Solidifies NFL Draft Status with Explosive Showing

Originally posted on Oregon Ducks on SI
By Kyron Samuels | Last updated Oct 19, 2025 7:01 PM ET

Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq continued his dominant 2025 season with a massive performance in a 56-10 win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Saturday. The 6-3, 245-pound junior tallied four receptions for 80 yards and two touchdowns. That’s twenty yards per catch and a 50-percent touchdown rate per grab. Talk about an efficient day at the office.

The performance was much needed after then-ranked No. 8 Oregon dropped their first game at home in almost three years to No. 3 Indiana. The entire team was tasked with responding and showing what they’re made of, and they did just that, but Sadiq especially flashed his incredible talent on a different level.

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Sadiq is playing like the best tight end in the country, and he’s beginning to build quite a case to be one of the top players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, regardless of position or positional value.

"That's Superman. Having Kenyon at tight end, his speed, his awareness and his confidence in route running, I just love to have him as a tight end. The O-Line gave me great time and he's always going to be open. It just feels good to see him back himself. Everybody knows he does great hurdles and great trucks, but his route running is something that is big with him and he did a great job today. I feel like overall I just fed the guys. Always, you've got to get the playmakers the ball and they did a great job,” Oregon quarterback Dante Moore said.

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“A pass-catching tight end is near the top of the Commanders' needs, with Zach Ertz turning 35 next month and on an expiring contract. Sadiq would be an appealing successor, providing Jayden Daniels with versatility in the passing game and serving as a dependable run blocker. Sadiq is young -- he doesn't turn 21 until March - but he has continued to improve in his first season as a starter. He has three TDs this season,” ESPN’s Jordan Reid said in the latest mock draft.

Sadie’s prowess is unmatched from the tight end position at the moment. Past the midway point of the season, he’s created more separation at his position than any other draft-eligible player for the 2026 draft cycle. With each passing game, Sadiq becomes more comfortable, and his understanding of nuances improves.

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Without combine or pro day testing, it’s hard to get a gauge for where Sadiq matches up athletically to the tight end prospects of the past, but he tracks similarly to former Maryland All-American tight end Vernon Davis.

Davis went sixth overall to the San Francisco 49ers when he came out of college. Going that high is a long shot, but if Sadiq can have the type of career that Davis did on the next level, wherever he’s drafted will be well worth it.

This article first appeared on Oregon Ducks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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