CHARLOTTE — Kenyon Sadiq is not the kind of player you can easily put in a box.
He's a tight end by job description, with the kind of athletic testing numbers you see at other positions. And that creates a lot of opportunities at the next level, and makes him one of the more intriguing players in this year's draft class.
"Yeah, just starting off, athletic abilities," Sadiq said at the combine when asked what made him stand out. "I think that's there, and I think everyone will see that. So, just starting off there and then, I think mentally as well, I have a very mature mindset coming into this league."
He wasn't lying about the testing numbers. At 6-foot-3 and 241 pounds, he astounded scouts by running a 4.39-second 40-yard dash and putting up a 43.5-inch vertical and an 11-1 broad jump, evidence of his explosive ability. But he's also not a traditional tight end, for whom blocking in the run game is part of the job description, too, and that's not something you can expect from him. So comparing him to other all-around tight ends like 2025 first-rounder Tyler Warren or others is hard.
"He's going to run like crazy, he's going to jump out of the gym," NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said of Sadiq. "Super dynamic, super explosive, really good. Someone who can take quick screens from the tight end position and do things with it with the explosiveness and the ability to just run away from everybody."
But that raw talent is going to evoke memories of playmakers of recent years like Atlanta's Kyle Pitts, and Sadiq sees himself in that mold, especially in a league that's leaning toward using multiple tight ends (the Panthers were sixth in the league in usage of three-tight end sets last year, a number that might have been higher if not for injuries).
"Versatility is huge," Sadiq said. "Being able to create explosive pass plays, but also being able to run the ball. It creates a lot of mismatches on the defensive side, whether they're in nickel or base or whatever it is. So, I think if you have a great tight end or a couple of great tight ends, it really helps out your offense as a whole."
Sadiq caught 51 passes for 560 yards and an FBS-high (for tight ends) eight touchdowns. And that's the kind of production that will attract attention, but as he enters the league, he's looking for more from himself.
"Yeah, I mean, it just goes down to I'm willing to do whatever my team wants me to do," he said. "Production is one thing, but also being a great teammate as well. And I think I've done that. So one, just displaying my capabilities mentally, but also, the attributes I can bring to a team, not just snap count, but on special teams as well. So, all these attributes, if you look at snap count, you're missing. So I do think I bring a lot of value to a team."
Check out some of our favorite photos of wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan throughout the 2025 season.
Tetairoa McMillan speaks during introductory Carolina Panthers press conference at Bank of America Stadium following his selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Carolina Panthers face off against the Houston Texans in a joint practice at NRG Park on August 14th, 2025.
The Carolina Panthers take on the Atlanta Falcons on Sep. 21, 2025, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by Krista Jasso/Carolina Panthers)
The Carolina Panthers take on the Miami Dolphins on Oct. 5, 2025, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by Alex Herko//Carolina Panthers)
The Carolina Panthers face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium, in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers take on the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 12, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by Laura Wolff/Carolina Panthers)
The Carolina Panthers take on the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 26, 2025, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025 in Charlotte, NC at Bank of America Stadium. (Photo by Lester Barnes/Carolina Panthers)
The Carolina Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.
The Carolina Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.
The Carolina Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.
The Carolina Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.
The Carolina Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.
The Carolina Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.
The Carolina Panthers showcase shoes for the My Cause My Cleats initiative on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025 at Bank Of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL
The Carolina Panthers practice for the Playoffs on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 at Bank Of America Stadium, in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 at Bank Of America Stadium, in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 at Bank Of America Stadium, in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold camp on Tuesday, Jul. 29, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold camp Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
