Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq Compared to Star Tight End Before NFL Draft

The 2026 NFL Draft is approaching, and as expected, the Oregon Ducks are likely to see multiple of their players selected very early in the event. One of the players who has received very high praise is tight end and future NFL star Kenyon Sadiq.

Sadiq is one of the better tight ends entering the draft, and NFL reporter on ESPN Ben Solak recently made a bold comparison for Sadiq.

Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq san francisco 49ers george kittle nfl nfl draft 2026 benjamin watson brock bowers. — 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

Ben Solak Shares His Thoughts on Kenyon Sadiq

"I like tight ends who run faster than a 4.4. Here's a comprehensive list. Kenyon Sadiq out of Oregon and that is about it. No one else has done it! 4.39 at 240 pounds! I used to do that back in the day but not anymore," Solak said jokingly.

Solak would go more into detail, and would even compare the talented Oregon Ducks prospect to an NFL star at the position.

"Listen, explosive receptions from the tight end position, it's actually very rare to see. Most tight ends are check down guys. They don't really break tackles. Sadiq can be a unicorn of a receiver. Think George Kittle style, streaking down the field, knocking safeties off of him, running away from linebackers. This is a 'change your passing game' caliber of prospect here. I don't know where he goes in the first round, but the team who gets him is going to be fired up," Solak said.

Kittle is one of the greatest NFL tight ends in league history, as he has been very good for quite some time, entering his 10th season in the NFL. He is also fresh off another solid season in which he finished with a total of seven touchdowns and a little over 600 yards, sitting right at 628 on the season. This was a solid season among the tight ends, but one of his lesser seasons in terms of production. He is still a problem for defenses to try to stop, thanks to how good a tight end he is.

He has a different playing style, which is, in fact, similar to Sadiq, who has proven to be one of the more freakish athletes in his draft class.

Sadiq is built like a tight end, but runs routes like a wide receiver. This will allow him to contribute heavily in the early seasons of his career, as he is someone who has been viewed as a vertical threat. His ability to get behind the second level is inevitable, but what many will realize is that he is fast enough to get behind safeties on go-routes a.k.a streaks, or deep posts/corners.

With his size, he is also someone who could contribute early in run blocking and can play the typical tight end role. He is one of the more gifted tight ends that the draft has seen when it comes to being able to do everything at a high level. Some could argue that the last time the draft had a prospect like this was when Brock Bowers was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders. The difference between the two is that Bowers was more productive in his college career.

In fact, Sadiq's one red flag for others has been his college production.

He would be the first player selected in the first round without a college total of 1,000 yards or more in production throughout his career from a skill position since Benjamin Watson. The good side to that is that Watson went on to have a solid NFL career, but this go around it still seems that Sadiq is a sure pick in the first round. Many would say that he is the safest pick for certain teams, especially at the tight end position.

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