The New York Jets took Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey with their first pick (second overall) of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday.
Moving forward, Jets selected Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq with the 16th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, one year after they selected tight end Mason Taylor at the 2025 draft.
Sadiq was generally regarded as the best tight end in the draft due to his blend of size (6-foot-3, 241 pounds) and athleticism (4.40 40-yard dash, 43.5-inch vertical).
"He's versatile as a pass catcher, understanding how to sit down in windows against zone looks and create separation at the top of his routes against man coverage," Scouts Inc. wrote in their scouting report of Sadiq. Sadiq finished his junior season with 51 receptions for 560 yards (11.0 yards per reception) and eight touchdowns while playing 14 games for the Ducks.
Sadiq now joins a Jets passing corps that includes wide receivers Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell while running back Breece Hall could be a factor in the passing game for Smith. What makes this selection interesting for New York is that they took Taylor last season out of LSU, which could indicate that the team is willing to field two tight ends for a significant portion of the snaps.
"A big surprise, as the Jets kept their interest in Sadiq super quiet throughout the predraft process. Pairing Sadiq with another undersized movement tight end in 2025 second-rounder Mason Taylor will be a tricky task for new offensive coordinator Frank Reich," Benjamin Solak wrote for ESPN. Either way, the Jets have their next tight end of the future and the hope is that he can make an impact sooner rather than later.
Here are some of Sadiq's highlights that Jets fans can look forward to seeing next season:
Kenyon Sadiq goes #16 to the Jets.Sadiq's 2025 Highlights: pic.twitter.com/HZShetlQcR
— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) April 24, 2026
Kenyon Sadiq had one of the best days ever by a TE at the Combine:40-Yard Dash: 4.39 (best ever by a TE)Vertical Jump: 43.5’’ (second-best ever by a TE)Broad Jump: 11’1’’ (third-best ever by a TE)@Accenture | @oregonfootball pic.twitter.com/fxvABmsGrd
Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon)#1 TE/#11 overall- Seam-stretcher with elite burst & speed to glide past man coverage- Dynamic after the catch- Tenacious run blocker. Can survive inline, but at his best climbing to the 2nd level- Dramatically improved as a route runner after… pic.twitter.com/qHTATePcGo
Roughly 32 NFL Play Callers are going to want Kenyon Sadiq pic.twitter.com/uWa38gZ7X3
— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) November 15, 2025
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Jets TE Kenyon Sadiq's 2026 NFL Draft video highlights