Kenyon Sadiq
American football player (born 2005)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kenyon Sadiq (/ˈsɑːdik/ SAH-deek; born March 4, 2005) is an American professional football tight end for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oregon Ducks and was selected by the Jets in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft.
Idaho Falls, Idaho, U.S.
Sadiq in 2025 | |||||||||
| No. 16 – New York Jets | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Tight end | ||||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | March 4, 2005 Idaho Falls, Idaho, U.S. | ||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Listed weight | 241 lb (109 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Skyline (Idaho Falls) | ||||||||
| College | Oregon (2023–2025) | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 2026: 1st round, 16th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Early life
Sadiq was born on March 4, 2005 in Idaho Falls, Idaho.[1] Raised by a single mother along with two other siblings, Sadiq and his family resided in McCammon, Idaho for most of his early life, often spending time living with his grandparents. His grandfather, Terry Pleadger, was a Bannock County Sheriff and father figure for Sadiq, and his grandmother, Alaine Pleadger, was another significant figure in his upbringing. Sadiq began playing football when he was in the fourth grade, where he was a Running back in a primarily Wing-T offense. Sadiq also played Tackle football, and won a national championship for it in Las Vegas when he was in seventh grade.[2] For his freshman year of high school, Sadiq attended Marsh Valley High School in Arimo, Idaho, before returning to Idaho Falls to help tend to his grandmother who was suffering from Breast cancer.[3] After moving, Sadiq attended Skyline High School, where he, as a sophomore, helped contribute to a 42–22 IHSAA 4A state championship win over Emmett High School.[4][5] As a junior he notched 79 receptions, 1,166 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns.[6] Coming out of high school, Sadiq was rated as a four-star recruit and the number one recruit in Idaho, and committed to play college football for the Oregon Ducks over offers from schools such as Iowa State, Michigan, and Washington.[7]
College career
In the 2024 Fiesta Bowl, Sadiq hauled in his first career touchdown in the win.[8] He finished his freshman season in 2023 with five receptions for 24 yards and a touchdown, as well a carry for 12 yards, while appearing in all 14 games.[9][10] In 2024, Sadiq saw his role with the Ducks increase.[11] In Week 8 of the 2024 season, he hauled in two receptions for a career-high 58 yards.[12] In the 2024 Big Ten Football Championship Game, Sadiq hauled in two receptions for 30 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Penn State.[13] He finished the 2024 season with 24 receptions for 308 yards and two touchdowns.[14]
Sadiq made 14 appearances for the Ducks in 2025, recording 51 receptions for 560 yards and eight touchdowns. He declared for the 2026 NFL draft following the season.[15]
Statistics
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 3+1⁄8 in (1.91 m) | 241 lb (109 kg) | 31+1⁄2 in (0.80 m) | 10 in (0.25 m) | 6 ft 6+1⁄4 in (1.99 m) | 4.39 s | 1.54 s | 2.57 s | 43.5 in (1.10 m) | 11 ft 1 in (3.38 m) | 26 reps | ||
| All values from NFL Combine[16][17] | ||||||||||||
Sadiq was selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft with the 16th overall pick by the New York Jets. Prior to the draft, the Jets previously obtained the selection as part of the trade that sent Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts.[18] On May 7, he signed a four-year, $22.3 million contract with the Jets.[19] On May 28, it was announced that Sadiq had undergone a 'minor' procedure to address a hernia.[20]
Sadiq reported his first receiving touchdown in the NFL season on September 27, as he caught a 24-yard pass from quarterback Geno Smith.[21]