On February 28th, Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq turned heads at the NFL Combine with a record-breaking 4.39 second 40-yard dash, the fastest time for any tight end since at least 2003, and topping Vernon Davis' 4.40 from 2006. He didn't stop there, posting the second-best vertical jump ever for a tight end, and the third-best broad jump, highlighting just how stacked this year's tight end group is with elite athletes. Draft experts already peg Sadiq as a first-round lock, but this showing has teams buzzing about moving up boards to grab him earlier, potentially, turning him into a top-five talent at the position down the line. Now, clubs like the New Orleans Saints at pick eight, the Los Angeles Rams at 13, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 15, and even the Carolina Panthers at 19 could reach for him to bolster their offenses and give young quarterbacks dynamic weapons.
With tight ends going high in recent drafts, Sadiq's explosion keeps draft watches glued as the big board shakes up ahead of the selection process.