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Would the Panthers have picked TE Kenyon Sadiq if he was available at 19?
TL;DR
The Carolina Panthers missed the chance to draft tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who was selected by the New York Jets at 16. Analysts suggest that even if Sadiq had been available at 19, the Panthers would have still chosen Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling.
Key points
- Kenyon Sadiq was drafted by the New York Jets at 16.
- The Panthers had the 19th overall pick in the draft.
- Analysts believe the Panthers would have chosen Monroe Freeling regardless.
Carolina PanthersNew York JetsKenyon SadiqMonroe Freeling
The favorite for the Carolina Panthers' 2026 first-round pick may not have been the favorite after all.
On Thursday night, the Panthers watched as Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq was plucked off the board by the New York Jets with the 16th overall selection of this year's draft. Sadiq, given Carolina's lack of production at the tight end position, was favored by many to be the team's choice at the 19th overall spot.
That projection, of course, did not come to fruition. But what if the second-team All-American pass catcher was there for the Panthers to take?
Joe Person of The Athletic gave his thoughts on that prospect in a new depth chart breakdown from Monday, and he believes that Carolina still would've ended up on who they ultimately took—Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling. Person writes:
The Panthers were frequently linked to Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq in mock drafts. Sadiq ended up going 16th to the New York Jets, but my impression is the Panthers would have taken Freeling over him anyway.
President of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan was asked about the state of the position during his pre-draft press conference a few weeks ago.
"I think we have some guys on our roster that are big targets," Morgan stated. "In general, we have guys in our tight end room that we feel are good players and guys that have the skill set to be able to do that.
Q&A
Why did the Panthers not draft Kenyon Sadiq?
The Panthers did not draft Kenyon Sadiq because he was selected by the New York Jets with the 16th overall pick.
Who did the Panthers select instead of Kenyon Sadiq?
The Panthers selected Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling with the 19th overall pick.
What position does Kenyon Sadiq play?
Kenyon Sadiq plays as a tight end.
