The Kansas City Chiefs have been linked to a number of names with their much-revered ninth overall pick in this coming NFL Draft.
Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. appears to be the favorite to end up a Chief at #9, with the Saints, Cowboys and Dolphins also potential destinations. And if Kansas City instead wants to add ammunition to another position group, LSU’s Mansoor Delane or Utah’s Spencer Fano are also viable options to head to the Midwest.
However, in addition to those names and position groups, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer also posits that there could be another potential name in a more unique position group who could be in play for the Chiefs at #9, especially if Bain and Delane are already off the board.
And this “wild card” name is in fact University of Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq.
Chiefs Could Opt to Select Kenyon Sadiq at No.9 Overall
“I think if Tyson or Tate were there for them I think both of those guys would be possibilities. The corners, certainly with what they’ve lost this offseason with [Trent] McDuffie and [Jaylen] Watson being out the door. I think Delane would be a possibility for ’em.” Breer said on The Breer Report podcast on April 17.
“And one wild card name that I think is interesting here: Kenyon Sadiq.”
“I know he’s at least in the conversation here. And its an interesting guy to consider cause if you look at the receiver class and you see a lot of good but not great, maybe you say Kenyon Sadiq has a better chance to be the focal point of a passing game than any of the other receivers do because he is such a physical outlier.”
Sadiq Could Create Huge Mismatches in the Passing Game
Breer points to Sadiq’s versatility in the passing game as a core reason why the Chiefs may be enticed to select him perhaps earlier than many expect.
“[Sadiq is] a guy who can move all over the formation; you can split him out wide, you can play him in the slot, you can play him in line. There’s a million different things you can do with him and he’s a matchup problem everywhere. And so Sadiq would be an interesting name. I think he probably goes somewhere between #9 and #15 or so.”
If KC feel like they may be higher on the Oregon tight end than other teams are – potentially in light of their need at the position, with his contract and conduct pointing to the fact that 2026 appears to be future Hall of Fame TE Travis Kelce’s final season in the NFL – Breer suggests they may end up trading down and then picking up Sadiq somewhere closer to the middle of Round 1.
“This would be the ceiling for Sadiq, but he would be an interesting fit going into maybe that Travis Kelce role, or if the Chiefs can trade down a few spots, maybe that would be somebody they’d consider in the middle of the first round.”
Delane or Bain may seem like the most intuitive picks, but if the Chiefs are looking to immediately upgrade the side of the ball that has consistently struggled over the past couple of years, adding Sadiq might be the sharp play.
All-American Offensive Weapon a ‘Wild Card’ Pick For Chiefs at No.9