April 6, 2026, 7:00 p.m. ET
The No. 1 priority for the Carolina Panthers this offseason should be growing the supporting cast around quarterback Bryce Young. Above all else, that means adding more receiving weapons to complement the fine work that 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan did in 2025.
While McMillan racked up over 1,000 receiving yards, nobody else on the team managed even 400—so taking either another potential star wideout or pass-catching tight end should be on the menu in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
With that in mind, a new five-round mock draft from NFL.com has the Panthers filling that need by taking Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq at No. 19 overall. Chad Reuter writes:
Bryce Young will love seeing Sadiq running down the seam and setting up shop between zone defenders. The tight end’s presence will open up space for former first-round receivers Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan.
Sadiq is a little undersized for the position at 6-foot-3 and 241 pounds. However, he has all the tools he needs to dominate as a red-zone threat at the next level.
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Last season, he racked up 51 catches, 560 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games. Here are the highlights:
The Panthers used a fourth-round pick on Ja’Tavion Sanders just a couple of years ago. But so far, his flashes have been too few and far between—totaling just two touchdowns in 29 games.
If Carolina does wind up drafting Sadiq, he should ascend to the top of the tight end depth chart immediately.
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