Kenyon Sadiq’s 4.39 40 and Broncos Interview Amplify Draft Debate After Combine
Oregon tight end kenyon sadiq produced a headline-grabbing performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, including a 4. 39-second 40-yard dash, and confirmed a formal interview with the Denver Broncos. The results and the Broncos meeting matter now because they tie elite workout numbers to a team with a clear need at tight end and a prior connection to the player.
Kenyon Sadiq's Combine measurements and marks
Sadiq posted a 4. 39-second 40-yard dash on Friday in Indianapolis — the fastest time recorded by a tight end at the combine since at least 2003. He opened the night with an 11-foot-1 broad jump and a 43½-inch vertical leap. One listing showed his measurements as 6-foot-3 1/8 and 241 pounds, while another listed him at 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds. Stowers later posted an 11-foot-3 broad jump and a 45½-inch vertical, the latter noted as the best vertical for a tight end since at least 2003.
Eli Stowers and the tight end leaderboard
Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers was a near constant presence around Sadiq’s marks during the same session. Stowers recorded a broad jump of 11-3 and a 45½-inch vertical; his official 40 time was 4. 51 seconds. Sadiq’s 4. 39 officially outpaced Stowers and bested the previous tight end combine mark of 4. 40 seconds, a time first set by Vernon Davis in 2006 and later tied by Dorin Dickerson in 2010.
2025 production and college honors
Sadiq turned in his finest college season in 2025 with 51 receptions for 560 yards (an 11. 0-yard average) and eight touchdown catches, a total that led all FBS tight ends. He finished the year as a second-team All-American and was named the Big Ten Conference Tight End of the Year, but he did not win the John Mackey Award, which went to Eli Stowers.
Denver Broncos meeting and connection to Bo Nix
Sadiq confirmed a formal interview with the Denver Broncos at the Combine and described the meeting as "good. " He has been frequently projected in mock drafts to Denver in Round 1, an alignment shaped both by the Broncos’ roster makeup and by Sadiq’s familiarity with Broncos quarterback Bo Nix. Evan Engram is the only tight end listed as under contract for Denver in 2026, creating an obvious positional vacancy that has fueled draft speculation.
Bo Nix relationship and college influence
Sadiq said reuniting with Nix would be "awesome, " noting the benefit of already knowing how Nix thinks. He recounted that as a freshman in 2023 he watched Nix lead and command the Oregon offense, calling Nix "one of the most experienced quarterbacks to do it in college ever" and saying that watching Nix’s demeanor and movements was "huge" for his development. He made those comments to The Denver Post’s Luca Evans.
Broader Combine context and other standouts
Friday was among the busiest days at the Indianapolis workouts, with defensive backs and tight ends taking the field and a heavy media schedule at the podium for wide receivers, running backs and quarterbacks. Ohio State’s Sonny Styles generated buzz earlier in the week with historic speed and leaping ability; his brother Lorenzo Styles showed speed on Friday as well. The group on Friday also included Clemson’s Avieon Terrell and Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
Top quarterbacks who spoke to the media included Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Alabama’s Ty Simpson, while consensus top running back Jeremiyah Love was also on hand. Wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, who played at Arizona State and Colorado, addressed his preparation after a college career that was listed as 158 receptions for 2, 282 yards and 222 touchdowns across four seasons; he spoke about refining small details and conditioning to handle a full season.
Other combine notes included Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. ’s arm length measuring 30 and 7/8 inches, reports that some prospects skipped on-field drills such as Jermod McCoy, and early stock assessments from evaluators like Chad Reuter and Dan Parr. Observers also raised questions about how other performers — including Mike Washington Jr., Olaivavega Ioane and David Bailey — would factor into draft boards after their workouts.
What makes this notable is the convergence of elite measurable testing, confirmed team interest and an existing quarterback relationship; the timing matters because the Combine is a concentrated window when workouts and interviews directly influence front-office evaluation and draft conversations. Sadiq’s testing figures and the Broncos meeting create a clear pathway for his draft stock to react ahead of evaluations and board-setting conversations.
