The Ravens watched Isaiah Likely walk to the Giants on a three-year, $40 million deal last month. ESPN’s Peter Schrager believes Baltimore will find its replacement in Pittsburgh on draft night.
In his latest mock draft, Schrager projects Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq to the Ravens at pick 14. The selection would give Lamar Jackson one of the fastest tight end prospects ever to test at the combine while costing the franchise a fraction of what Likely will earn in New York.
Kenyon Sadiq Could Be an Ideal Fit for the Ravens
Sadiq didn’t just impress at Indianapolis; he shattered records. The Oregon product’s 4.39-second 40-yard dash broke Vernon Davis’ 2006 mark as the fastest time by a tight end since at least 2003. He also posted a 43.5-inch vertical jump and an 11-foot-1 broad jump, ranking second and third all-time at the position, respectively.
“What better way to show Lamar Jackson and Ravens fans that the Baltimore offense isn’t going anywhere without offensive coordinator Todd Monken or former TE2 Isaiah Likely than by drafting a supreme talent like Sadiq?” Schrager wrote. “One of the stars of the combine, Sadiq ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, the fastest time for a tight end since at least 2003.”
“He also caught 51 passes last season, the most ever by an Oregon tight end,” Scharger added. “Mark Andrews is back in Baltimore, but he’s now in his 30s, and this offense likes having multiple impact players at the position.”
Sadiq finished his junior season with 51 catches for 560 yards and 8 touchdowns, leading all FBS tight ends in scoring receptions. He is the 16th-ranked prospect on PFSN’s Big Board and currently has an average draft position of 22.5 on PFSN’s Mock Draft Simulator.
The financial calculus makes this pick even more attractive. Likely signed with the Giants at $13.3 million per year. A first-round tight end like Sadiq would cost roughly $4 million annually on his rookie deal, according to projected slot values. Baltimore would receive similar production for a third of the price while retaining the player through 2030 with a fifth-year option.
The Ravens already have Mark Andrews locked up through 2028 on a three-year, $39.267 million extension signed in December. But Andrews turns 31 in September and posted just 48 catches for 422 yards in 2025. According to PFSN’s TE Impact Metric, the Ravens veteran finished last season as the 54th-ranked tight end in the league.
Andrews’ role as the franchise’s tight end pillar won’t last forever. Sadiq represents the long-term succession plan while providing immediate juice to Jackson’s receiving corps.
The reigning two-time MVP already has Zay Flowers, who set career highs with 86 catches and 1,211 receiving yards in 2025. Adding a tight end who can run away from linebackers and threaten safeties deep would give new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle mismatches that Monken never had at his disposal.
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The Ravens have historically valued the position. Sadiq’s ability to flex into the slot, split out wide, or align as a traditional Y tight end fits that identity perfectly.
Baltimore lost Likely, but the team might replace him with someone even better, at a far lower cost, for a far longer window.
