If there were any hopes among some San Francisco 49ers fans that the team would select tight end Kenyon Sadiq in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, those hopes were dashed, literally, at the NFL Scouting Combine.
The University of Oregon product ran a 4.39 40-yard dash time, which broke the record that Vernon Davis set 20 years ago for tight ends. Niners reporter Matt Maiocco summed it up best on social media by writing, "TE Kenyon Sadiq of Oregon runs a blazing 4.40 [sic]. Whoa. Will he be there at No. 27? Nope."
Maiocco is probably right.
While some mock drafts had Sadiq lasting until the end of the first round, that impressive 40-yard dash time means he will likely go in the middle of Round 1 at the latest. For reference, Davis was drafted No. 6 overall by the Niners in 2006.
Given the injury to George Kittle, which could cause him to miss the early part of next season even though there is optimism that he will not miss much time, it could have made sense to get a premium insurance policy like Sadiq in the draft. He could have even been a successor to Kittle.
Alas, maybe it just was not meant to be.
That may not be the worst thing, though. The Niners have other more pressing needs to address in the draft other than the tight end position, so removing the allure of a shiny prospect like Sadiq could allow San Francisco to focus on other areas like wide receiver or edge rusher.
As things stand, the 49ers may have to lean on Luke Farrell and Jake Tonges if Kittle misses time. Tonges proved he can be a solid pass-catcher, so it would make sense for the Niners to bring him back. No one player can replace everything Kittle brings to the table, though.
Maybe the Niners could draft a tight end in a later round, though. Sam Roush out of Stanford could be an interesting pick as he is known for being a solid blocker, so maybe he could help create some holes in the run game.
Or perhaps the 49ers could sign a veteran tight end in free agency if it seems like Kittle could be out for longer than expected. Maybe someone like Zach Ertz, a Stanford product in his own right, could make sense.
Making up for a potential Kittle absence won't be easy, but those fans holding out hope for Sadiq can let that dream go.