Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq's record-breaking combine performance fuels draft buzz for a Super Bowl contender seeking offensive dominance.
Probably no other athlete boosted their stock during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine more than Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq.
Sadiq's 4.39 40-yard dash time smashed records, and that wasn't the only competition he shined in.
Before the combine, some projected the star tight end to be a top-10 pick. However, it's not common for tight ends to be taken that high in the first round.
Usually, those picks go to more premium positions like offensive tackle, defensive end, and quarterback.
Following the first wave of free agency, Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today projected the Los Angeles Rams to select Sadiq with the No. 13 pick in April's draft, thinking he'd work in an offense that features multiple tight ends.
"Dealing for McDuffie reinforces that the Rams are all in on maximizing NFL MVP Matthew Stafford's remaining window," he wrote. "Taking Sadiq, a matchup nightmare still requiring some polish, might not seem fully aligned with that mentality.
"But Sean McVay and Les Snead were previously enamored a hybrid tight end in Brock Bowers, and Sadiq could feast in an offense that came to embrace using three tight ends."
During his news conference at the combine, Sadiq thinks he's a perfect fit for league offenses looking for versatile tight ends as 12 and 13 personnel become more common.
"You're able to do so much with different kinds of tight ends and different personnel's in the game whether it's explosive passes, run game or creating mismatches in different places," Sadiq said.
"Being able to create explosive pass plays but also be able to run the ball. It creates a lot of mismatches on the defensive side... If you have a great tight end, or a couple great tight ends, it really helps out your offense."
The Rams would be an intriguing fit for Sadiq. He'd get to work with one of the league's best offensive minds, head coach Sean McVay.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford won the league's MVP for the 2025 season. Los Angeles made a deep run in the playoffs before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in the NFC championship.
The Rams need to make the most of Stafford's remaining years. The 2026 season could be his last, and a young tight end in the first round could make his life easier.
The Rams will have to decide if a wide receiver or tight end is a better fit this offseason. But Sadiq seems like a no-brainer for a team in the first round.