Toward the end of his introductory news conference at 1 Jets Drive on Saturday morning, the imposing TE Kenyon Sadiq, who played for Oregon and was drafted No. 16 overall in the first round on Thursday, graciously paid a compliment to a former opposing player who will now be a teammate with the Jets -- diminutive former Indiana cornerback D'Angelo Ponds.
"Obviously, I think that's a great pick," Sadiq (6-3) said of Ponds (5-9), the Jets' second-round selection (No. 50 overall). "I think he's the best corner I played against all year, for sure. I mean you can say he's undersized, too, but no, he definitely doesn't show it on the field. You know, one thing I love about his game is how much passion and speed he plays with. So it's awesome to get a team up with him, and you know [WR Omar] Cooper as well, playing both of them twice. So, they're great guys."
To make a third pick in the first round, Jets GM Darren Mougey traded back into the round to grab Indiana's Cooper Jr. at No. 30, bringing together three young and promising guys who all played for winning programs in the Big Ten Conference.
Sadiq, who is from Idaho Falls, was not in Pittsburgh for the draft festivities. And when his phone buzzed after the Jets selection, he was leery of answering.
"That was just my biggest fear, with Shedeur [Sanders, who was prank called during last year's draft] and all that stuff that happened with him," he said. "It's such a moment full of so many emotions. It'd be kind of not fun to get a prank call and stuff like that. But, no, obviously the call and everything was amazing."
It finally hit Sadiq that the call was bona fide when HC Aaron Glenn came on the call.
"I mean, it was really just when I started talking to each individual coach and management and those things," he said. "Then it really kind of hit me, 'This isn't a prank call, this is the real deal,' and I was super excited."
Coaches, scouts and observers took notice when Sadiq, 21, turned in a strong performance at the NFL Combine in February, running 4.39 40-yard dash, the fastest time recorded by a TE at the combine in more than 20 years and a swift time for a man of his imposing size. He also had a 43.5-inch vertical jump and 11.1 broad jump, both among the best numbers ever at the combine. With the Ducks last season, Sadiq caught 51 passes for 560 yards (11 per catch), 8 for TDs and was named a second-team All-American.
All those numbers helped him move up the draft board, with the Jets' full attention.
"I definitely think it helped a little bit, nothing crazy," Sadiq said about his numbers at the combine. "People knew I was fast, people knew I could jump. I was just kind of putting the measurables on paper. It was nice."
After he was drafted, Sadiq alluded to his love of physical play when he said: "I play fast and I play hard ... and I can also go hit someone." He expanded on that on Saturday.
"It's just how I think the game should be played," he said. "Kind of like love, aggression, passion, all those things. But like I said, it really just comes down to how much I love the game, what I'm willing to do for teammates and things like that."
During the Jets' news conference after the first round, HC Aaron Glenn said he was excited about teaming Sadiq with second-year TE Mason Taylor and holdover Jeremy Ruckert in a versatile "12" personnel scheme. Perhaps even splitting Sadiq out wide across from Garrett Wilson and along with Cooper Jr., putting maximum pressure on opposing cornerbacks.
"We're going to be able to dictate as far as the defense is concerned on what are you going to play," Glenn said. "Are you going to be in base, are you going to be in nickel? And he brings that value to us. Man, there are so many positions that he can play for us that's going to make us be able to open up the offense and [OC] Frank [Reich] has a really, really good vision for this player. I'm looking forward to seeing this player during training camp, so it'll be fun."
