OREGON — Kenyon Sadiq is expected to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft in April. Matt Miller's latest mock draft projects Sadiq to be selected by the Baltimore Ravens at No. 14 overall.

Sadiq is the only tight end expected to be selected in the first round of this year's draft. If selected as projected, Sadiq would be the 12th tight end taken in the first round over a 10-year span. Six tight ends were taken in the first round of the NFL draft in the previous 10 years.

Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said the evolution of the tight end position has changed how teams value the position. "This league is a copycat league. [Teams] see something that's working and they say, 'We can do exactly that.' We need a certain type of athlete to be able to do that," Kiper said.

"The days about worrying whether they're in-line, whether they're an H-back are over. We're taking that guy, we're going to label him a weapon and we're going to utilize a high draft pick on him because he's going to be incredibly valuable to our offense and be able to be one of our key performers on that side of the ball. That's what these guys have become," Kiper said.