Throughout mock draft season, the Los Angeles Chargers have primarily been linked to players who could immediately help them in the trenches.
Many mock drafts have them tied to Olaivavega Ioane out of Penn State, who could fill in immediately at right guard assuming Mekhi Becton is ultimately cut. Others have them taking the defensive route, filling out their depth behind defensive tackle Teair Tart with a player like Caleb Banks or Peter Woods.
But perhaps the most interesting prediction has come from Daniel Jeremiah in his second mock draft for NFL.com, where he had Los Angeles selecting tight end Kenyon Sadiq out of Oregon with their first-round pick. If Jeremiah hadn't correctly predicted each of Los Angeles's last two first-round selections, this pick might seem far-fetched.
The Chargers already have a breakout tight end in Oronde Gadsden II, and it's hard to argue that their needs in the trenches aren't of the utmost importance.
But with his performance in on-field workouts at the Combine on Friday, Sadiq sent a message Los Angeles can't afford to ignore.
The Chargers must take a hard look at selecting Kenyon Sadiq in the first round
Although this class boasts players such as Jerimiyah Love and Carnell Tate, it doesn't necessarily have an abundance of premier offensive weapons. Sadiq, meanwhile, clearly cemented himself as TE1 based on his college production alone.
Through 14 games at Oregon in 2025, Sadiq registered 51 receptions for 560 yards and eight touchdowns. At 6'3" and 241 lbs, he projects to be dominant pass-catching and blocking tight end at the next level.
That alone would have garnered him serious first-round interest from multiple teams. But his performance at the Combine adds another layer to the story entirely. He recorded a 4.39-second 40-yard dash time, a 43.5" vertical, and a 11'1" broad jump. That 40-yard dash time was the fastest recorded by a tight end since at least 2003.
Although he fell just short of the lofty marks set by standout Eli Stowers in the vertical and the broad jump, these numbers are also highly impressive.
Gadsden had an excellent rookie season, emerging as an important offensive weapon for Los Angeles. But the painful reality is that his sub-par blocking ability could prevent him being the Chargers' long-term TE1.
Sadiq could easily be the best player on the board when the Chargers select at 22nd overall. If they're successfully able to address the offensive line in free agency and the later rounds of the draft, it would be an organizational failure to completely ignore the standout tight end as an option.
Sadiq did everything in his power on Friday to make sure Los Angeles won't.