In the wake of George Kittle suffering a torn Achilles in the playoffs, the 49ers might need some help at the tight end position in case the star is not ready to make his return for the start of the season.
Which is why NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah has the 49ers selecting a possible replacement with the No. 27 pick in his first 2026 NFL mock draft.
27. TE, Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
“Sadiq could go much higher than 27th overall,” Jeremiah wrote. “He’s undersized, but he has outstanding speed and is a competitive blocker. He would be [the] ultimate chess piece for Kyle Shanahan, giving the coach a hybrid of George Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk.”
In the 2025 season, the junior tight end notched a team-high 51 receptions for 560 receiving yard in 14 games played. He led all collegiate tight ends with eight receiving touchdowns.
Sadiq was a John Mackey Award finalist, which is presented annually to the most outstanding collegiate tight end in the nation.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. predicts Sadiq will be drafted No. 15 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Sadiq’s listed height and weight is 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, which might be undersized for a tight end position, but is close to Kittle’s 6-foot-4 and 250-pound frame.
Although Kittle’s injury recovery appears daunting, both 49ers general manager John Lynch and the tight end himself expressed optimism for his return-to-play timeline.
San Francisco had three other tight ends on the roster for the 2025 season: Jake Tonges, Luke Farrell and Brayden Willis.
Tonges becomes a restricted free agent this offseason. He served well filling in for Kittle during the star’s six games missed in the regular season, recording 34 receptions for 293 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
Farrell is under contract through the 2027 season. He saw limited usage in the 49ers offense, recording just 11 receptions.