Kenyon Sadiq’s NFL Draft Call Shows What Sets Oregon's Coaches Apart

A new video captures the moment tight end Kenyon Sadiq received the call from the New York Jets, with Oregon Ducks football coaches right by his side during the 2026 NFL Draft. The scene speaks volumes about the program’s culture, relationships and the kind of support that extends far beyond the field.

In his hometown state Idaho, Sadiq anxiously watched the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft from the couch with his friends and family. He was joined by Oregon coach Dan Lanning, offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer (his former tight ends coach) and special teams coordinator Joe Lorig.

The Ducks staff flew out to be with the consensus first-round projection on night one, an uncommon effort that underscores the program’s commitment to its players, even when they move onto the next level.

kenyon sadiq Oregon Ducks nfl draft visit kansas city chiefs travis kelce bri amaranthus philadelphia eagles dan lanning | Oregon Ducks on SI Darby Winter

Inside Kenyon Sadiq's Draft Moment With Oregon Coaches

A “Meet The Flock” video posted by Oregon football reveals the behind-the-scenes moments that changed Sadiq’s life.

Lanning set the scene as the group of coaches sat down in the plane.

"Great day, getting an opportunity to go celebrate with some of our NFL future draft picks. We're going to go hang out with Kenyon Sadiq," Lanning said.

Mehringer added that Sadiq’s rise was never a surprise.

"Kenyon was a stud the day that he walked in the door in terms of his overall preparation, the attitude. All we're doing is seeing the results of that, three years later. Super excited for him. I can't wait to go watch him ball on Sundays," Mehringer said.

Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq (TE23) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

When the coaches arrived, Sadiq admitted he was both nervous and excited. The room went quiet when his phone rang. On the other end was the Jets, delivering the moment that would change his path forever.

Sadiq kept it simple.

"Let's do it," he said to Jets general manager Darren Mougey.

He embraced his mom, siblings and girlfriend before sharing emotional hugs with Lanning and Mehringer. Then, in a very on-brand moment, Sadiq turned to the group and asked:

"Now what do we do?"

Lanning’s response brought some levity.

"Now you relax, man! Now you gotta watch it in real time."

They sat back down together as his name was officially called on television, reliving the moment all over again.

Meet the Flock

Episode 5 - Tight Ends #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/wm3bZ5q7uu
— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) April 30, 2026

"I feel great. A lot of emotions kind of hit me at once, but obviously, it's surreal... Shout out to Coach Lanning and Coach Mehringer for playing a huge role in this, and I can't thank them enough, and I'm just super grateful," Sadiq said.

Before he heads off to the NFL, Sadiq had a message for Oregon fans.

"To the Duck fans, I love you guys," Sadiq said. "The amount of support you guys have shown me from day one - there's nothing like it. I continue to put on for the University of Oregon and the Duck fans, and like I said, I just met so many unique and amazing people at my time there, and I'll definitely be back, but, I've got a lot of work to do in New York now."

It is clear that Sadiq epitomizes the phrase, "Once a Duck, Always a Duck."

What Sets Oregon Apart

It was a full-circle moment for Lanning, who once sat in Sadiq’s living room making his recruiting pitch. A few years later, Sadiq is headed to one of the NFL’s biggest markets as the No. 16 overall pick.

His embrace with Mehringer stood out as especially emotional, a reflection of the relationships built inside Oregon’s program. Before being promoted to offensive coordinator, Mehringer spent three seasons as Sadiq’s tight ends coach, playing a major role in developing NFL talent like Terrance Ferguson and Patrick Herbert.

Oregon Ducks tight end kenyon sadiq with bri amaranthus | oregon ducks on si seigher brown

Even without a traditional senior night sendoff at Autzen Stadium, Sadiq leaves with a lasting message from his head coach, something he shared in an exclusive interview with Oregon Ducks on SI reporter Bri Amaranthus.

"He was he was all on board. He told me he thinks it was the right decision at the time, but also just giving me advice: to not let the fire die inside. There's a lot of guys that will get to the next level and say, ‘Hey, I made it.’ But, it only gets harder," Sadiq said of the conversation with Lanning.

That fire showed immediately. Moments after being drafted, Sadiq was already focused on what comes next.

Sadiq made Oregon history that night, becoming only the the second tight end in program history to be taken in the first round of the NFL Draft. He also extended an impressive streak: Oregon has now had at least one first-round pick in each of the last seven NFL Drafts.

Under Lanning, Oregon set a program record for most players selected in a single NFL Draft in back to back seasons in 2025 and 2024, reinforcing the Ducks’ growing reputation as a legitimate pipeline to the league. Under Lanning, the Ducks have had 31 players drafted in four years, including eight in the top 50.

The NFL development is real in Eugene. And as this moment showed, the relationships are just as real.

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