The Kansas City Chiefs have secured Travis Kelce for a 14th season, but they really need to think ahead. Holding the No. 9 overall pick, they’re in position to start planning for what comes next at tight end, and Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq has quietly entered that conversation. There’s buzz around the connection, made even more intriguing by the timing: Sadiq visited the team and crossed paths with Kelce on the very same day the veteran put pen to paper on his new extension, almost like a passing of the torch waiting to happen.

And that has left even former Chiefs quarterback Chase Daniel excited. He wants head coach Andy Reid and his team to use their top draft pick on an underrated prospect. Hear it from him:

“I can’t stop imagining Kenyon Sadiq landing at 9 with the Chiefs & immediately lining up with Patrick Mahomes,” Daniel wrote on X. “Stop it. My brain can’t handle this.”

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For all the buzz he has built during the pre-draft process, his on-field numbers don’t quite match the profile of a top-tier prospect. Playing in the high-powered offense of the Oregon Ducks, he never crossed 60 catches or 600 yards in any of his three seasons. Even in 2025, when he put together his best year as a junior, with 51 receptions for 560 yards and eight touchdowns, those numbers didn’t impress everyone.

However, he surprised everyone at the combine with a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, the fastest time for a tight end in Scouting Combine history. Notably, this was the first time for a TE to break the 4.4 barrier. Additionally, he also recorded a 1.54-second 10-yard split and an impressive 1-inch broad jump and 43.5-inch vertical jump. That said, these drills don’t really guarantee success on the field. The Chiefs wouldn’t want to risk wasting a top-10 pick on him, especially when they have other needs to worry about.

Plus, Sadiq isn’t projected to be a complete tight end who can hold up as a consistent run blocker. In recent drafts, teams have taken pass-catching specialists at the position in the first round, but those picks haven’t always delivered. Cases like Kyle Pitts with the Atlanta Falcons and Dalton Kincaid with the Buffalo Bills highlight that trend, as both franchises have yet to see returns that fully match the level of investment they made.

Interestingly, those two players actually produced good numbers in college. Comparatively, Sadiq has not, and so, the Kansas City team will have to stay careful not to overvalue Sadiq.

He got a nod from ESPN’s draft analyst Mel Kiper, who identified him as an impressive hybrid option. All that said, if Sadiq does end up joining Kansas City, how will the team utilize him?

Could Kenyon Sadiq replace Travis Kelce?

After Travis Kelce’s signing, there is no doubt that he’ll be the starter with Noah Gray lining up behind him. The team also has Jared Wiley, but he is still at a development stage. Reports suggest the Chiefs might pursue 2026 draft prospects such as Kenyon Sadiq and Vanderbilt Commodores’ Eli Stowers. The new player won’t likely become a starter right away, but they can still learn a great deal from Kelce while he is still around. 

After his wonderful performance at the Combine, he pulled in a lot of attention, but that might not necessarily mean a high draft selection. At the same time, many draft analysts have acknowledged his performance in college football and at the pre-draft event. He was the centerpiece of Oregon’s offense last year, serving both as an efficient receiver and run blocker.

In fact, ESPN’s Matt Miller compared his playing to that of iconic Vernon Davis. Selected at No. 6 by the San Francisco 49ers in 2006, the tight end piled up 583 receptions for 7,562 yards and 63 touchdowns before exiting the league. 

“Even with eventual second-rounder Terrance Ferguson on the roster in 2024, scouts were buzzing about Sadiq,” Miller mentioned last week. “The junior’s best trait is his ability to attack the ball in the air and contort his body to make plays on it. Sadiq is a high-end mover with the speed, strength, and leaping ability to be a matchup nightmare.

“He lacks elite size at 6-foot-3 and 241 pounds, and he had six drops on 70 targets last season, but he projects as a difference-making move tight end in the pros.”

Sadiq’s explosive athleticism and versatility put him among the top draft prospects. However, he still has a long way to go before he enters the league and replaces someone as mighty as Travis Kelce.