Kenyon Sadiq was probably minding his own business a couple of weeks ago, enjoying the last few free days before Oregon Ducks fall camp began.
Anticipation for the upcoming year was high, but nothing out of the ordinary for a former blue-chip tight end with a promising athletic ceiling. With Terrance Ferguson and Patrick Herbert still on the roster, Sadiq was expecting a year where he could contribute when his name was called, but continue to grow and prepare to take over as the TE1 in 2025.
And then boom. It happened.
Terrance Ferguson started talking to reporters at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis.
Since then, expectations for Sadiq have skyrocketed.
For those who are unaware of what I’m talking about, go check out this story from 247Sports Erik Skopil, where the Duck Territory reporter talked to Oregon’s star TE about the up-and-coming Sadiq.
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This quote in particular I found notable: “I think Kenyon is going to turn some eyes, especially this year, and the year after that,” Ferguson said. “He has all the tools in the world to be better than me and better than anybody in Oregon history at the tight end position. He has everything it takes.”
So much for that slow transition, huh?
It’s not just Ferguson who is stoking the Sadiq fire. On Thursday after Oregon’s second fall camp practice, offensive coordinator Will Stein did a good bit of work to fan the flames.
The Kenyon Sadiq hype train is off and rolling, with Oregon OC Will Stein doing his best to help it pick up steam. pic.twitter.com/R0mePiMCBy
— Zachary Neel (@zacharycneel) August 2, 2024
“I’m not saying Kenyon is Brock Bowers,” Stein said. “He’s not there yet, but he has all the skills to be a player similar to him, in terms of true tight end play, out of the backfield and flexed. I’m excited about where he’s going.”
Giving that quote to a fanbase that has been starved of any meaningful football for almost nine months is like tossing a New York Strip Steak into a lion’s den.
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While the pseudo-comparison may be lofty, that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. While Ferguson’s prediction that Sadiq could be the best tight end in program history may seem inconceivable, it’s also not out of the realm of possibilities.
Only time on the field will tell if these predictions are warranted or not. In the meantime, though, we need to consider how the sophomore will manage the pressure.
“When you’ve got Terrance Ferguson and Patrick Herbert in that room, who are the best leaders on our team, they make sure Kenyon is right and that he’s grounded,” Stein said.
“At the end of the day, they’re just words, so I don’t feel any pressure from it,” Sadiq told me at Oregon’s media day earlier in the week.
They may be just words, but words coming from one of the best tight ends in recent memory to play for the Ducks, and someone who could hold quite a few records at the position once his Oregon career is over. That has to count for something.
“It means a lot coming from a guy like him, a guy that I look up to, a guy that I see every day working hard,” Sadiq said. “He’s done so much for me and I think a big reason for the production that I’m going to have is because of him.”
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How much of that production can we expect in 2024? It’s going to be tough for Sadiq to plant himself atop the TE depth chart with the talent around him at the position. But based on everything we’re hearing from players and coaches, it’s also going to be impossible to keep this kid off of the field.
So can he be better than Terrance Ferguson, comparable to Brock Bowers, and the best TE in program history?
Only time will tell, but if expectations tell us anything, we could be watching an Oregon legend break out in front of our eyes.
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