Could Kenyon Sadiq be the freak athlete the Chiefs draft to replace Travis Kelce?

Let's get something out of the way right away: there's no replacing Travis Kelce. It's just bananas that the Kansas City Chiefs organization has drafted two of the three greatest tight ends every to play the game (argue with a wall about who the third is). However, no matter what Travis Kelce does in 2026, the Chiefs need to determine what life looks like after Kelce soon.

Noah Gray has had a disappointing season, especially after the year he had in 2024 and getting an extension. There's no reason to think he's a key part of a post–Travis Kelce world. Jared Wiley spent a large part of the year as a healthy scratch for 31-year-old Robert Tonyan. Needless to say, nobody is safe in the Chiefs' tight end room for 2026.

A major weakness of the Chiefs' tight end position is the lack of real, difference-making blocking. Kelce is underrated nationally, but that's only because most think he can't block at all. When Noah Gray was drafted, there was talk of him being a hybrid H-back because of his size. Tonyan is their best blocker but has brought little as a blocker, and Wiley wasn't really an inline blocker at TCU. The Chiefs need a new identity at tight end.

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NFL Draft Profile: Kenyon Sadiq, tight end, Oregon

Age: 20 (on draft night)

Height: 6-3

Weight:255 LBS.

Tape Exposure: Rutgers (2025), Northwestern (2025), Indiana (2025)

Shades of: David Njoku

Kenyon Sadiq Background

Kenyon Sadiq was a consensus four-star recruit and the top recruit in the state of Idaho. He was a three-sport athlete, also competing in track and field and baseball in high school. He committed to Oregon as the No. 4 overall athlete recruit in the country. Sadiq progressed over the years on the Ducks' talented roster, growing into their top tight end in 2025.

As a freshman, Sadiq hauled in just five catches. As a sophomore, he totaled two touchdowns and 308 yards alongside second-round pick Terrance Ferguson. As a junior, he posted career highs with eight touchdowns and 509 yards alongside another draftable prospect in Jamari Johnson (class of 2027). Sadiq was ranked 11th on the prestigious “Freaks List” from Bruce Feldman

Sadiq arrived at Oregon at 220 lbs. but has reshaped his body, trimming his body fat from roughly 12–13 percent to around 10 through improved nutrition. That transformation shows up in his testing numbers: a 41.5-inch vertical, a 365-pound power clean, and a 435-pound bench press.

What makes Kenyon Sadiq the draft's best tight end

Athleticism

At age 20, Sadiq has a chance to enter the league as one of the most physically gifted tight ends in the league. He will be a combine warrior and still has crazy upside as a very young prospect. His speed up the seam, his ability after the catch, and his body control at the catch point make Sadiq the ultimate mismatch weapon.

Blocking

Rarely does a tight end get high praise for blocking, but he's earned it. He's frequently a difference-maker in the run game, digging out run lanes and using his natural gifts to climb to the second level to look for more work. He's even capable of holding up in pass protection against edge rushers. He's exactly what a run-centric offense ordered.

Versatility

Sadiq is able to play almost any role asked of him because of his size and speed. He's strong enough to put his hand in the dirt and play as a Y tight end. He's enough of a threat to be lined up on the backside of the formation as an iso receiver, and he's dynamic enough to run out of the slot. Sadiq is any offensive game planner’s dream come true.

Why Sadiq might not be worth a top pick

Refinement

Sadiq came out of Idaho as an athlete recruit, and that still shows years later. He's not the most developed route runner against zone or man coverage. He doesn't consistently showcase a way to win other than simply “out-athleting” other players.

Production

Coming out of Oregon, he's never had huge numbers. Some of that is due to a run-centric offense loaded with NFL-caliber tight ends. However, when compared to other first-round talents at tight end (Brock Bowers and Tyler Warren), he hasn't been consistently productive, especially against top competition (4/22 against Texas Tech and 2/21 against Indiana).

Catch Point

Despite being so big and strong, his career 53.3 percent contested catch rate isn't exactly a strength. Add in six drops in 2025, and there are questions about him consistently winning with his hands.

How high is too high for the Chiefs to consider Kenyon Sadiq?

We've seen tight ends recently go as high as pick No. 4 (Kyle Pitts), and we've also seen several Day 2 tight ends grow into difference-makers. Sadiq is the ultimate traits-and-tools scouting obsession, as he has incredible upside and still seems to have only begun to tap into his potential. On the other hand, his limitations as a route runner and receiver could hold him back from being anything more than a YAC threat at the NFL level.

Kenyon Sadiq possesses special traits that make him a high-end tight end prospect. With development, he could grow into a Pro Bowl–caliber player for years to come. While his blocking keeps his floor high as a prospect, questions remain about whether that floor is worth a first-round pick.

Round Grade: Green Chip (2nd round talent)