Updated Feb. 27, 2026, 3:35 p.m. CT

If the Houston Texans don’t attack the trenches in the first round, perhaps the franchise targets another playmaker for C.J. Stroud.

One name to watch for at pick No. 28? Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, the Ducks‘ leading receiver and a do-it-all playmaker with impeccable upside as a run blocker, seems to be one option fans should start to get to know.

Sadiq, the consensus top tight end prospect, formally with the Texans at the NFL scouting combine, according to KPRC 2 Sports’ Aaron Wilson.

“It was good,” Sadiq told Wilson in Indianapolis. “That was one of them, you just really get to know each other. It was a super chill meeting. The staff’s awesome. So, just getting to sit down with them, getting to know them was great.”

Tight end isn’t the top position of need, especially with veteran Dalton Schultz still under contract. If anything, Houston needs depth more so than starting-caliber upside. Brevin Jordan is coming off back-to-back season-ending injuries, while Cade Stover has struggled adjusting to NFL speed over the past two years.

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Sadiq, who last season helped Oregon reach the College Football Playoff semifinal, has drawn comparisons to Arizona Cardinals All-Pro tight end Trey McBride. During Friday’s drills, he posted a 41.5-inch vertical leap.

Last season, Sadiq caught 51 passes for 560 yards and eight touchdowns. For his career, the 6-foot-4 tight end has 80 total catches for 892 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Sadiq told reporters that his combination of size, speed and athleticism allows him to create the kind of matchup problems offenses love. He also believes that the best is still to come with his game at the next level, both as a route runner and blocker.

“If you have a great tight end or a couple great tight ends, it really helps out your offense in a whole,” Sadiq said. “There’s more credit going to tight ends, and you see the market being reset by guys every year, so, I think the value has definitely gone up.”

According to Wilson, Houston conducted formal interviews with several tight ends, including  Cincinnati’s Royer, Stanford’s Sam Roush, Michigan’s Marlin Klein, Ohio State’s Max Klare and Georgia’s Oscar Delp.

The Texans have eight picks in the upcoming NFL draft.