Detroit Lions select Sam LaPorta in second round of 2023 NFL Draft

The Detroit Lions believe Sam LaPorta has what it takes to make an impact in the NFL at tight end. He was a consistent receiving threat the past four seasons at Iowa and will hope to do the same in the pros.

That’s why the Lions selected LaPorta with the No. 34 overall pick in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

LaPorta led the Hawkeyes in receiving each of the past two seasons, an impressive feat considering Iowa ranked near the bottom of the FBS in passing offense both years. His 153 catches throughout his career rank first among tight ends in program history, while his 1,786 yards receiving are second.

LaPorta finished the 2022 season with 58 catches for 657 yards and a touchdown as Iowa finished 8-5. He was named Big Ten Tight End of the Year and first team all-conference while also being one of three finalists for the John Mackey Award.

Additionally, LaPorta served as a team captain for Iowa in 2022. He appeared in 46 games with 32 starts over his career, starting all but one game in each of the past two seasons.

LaPorta played high school football for Highland (IL) High School, where he was a three-star prospect listed at receiver. He ranked as the No. 1,200 overall player and No. 165 receiver according to the On3 Industry Rating, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Sam LaPorta

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein provided some in-depth analysis on LaPorta in his recent scout of the tight end’s draft profile. The analyst noted he received a high volume of targets at Iowa and also commended him on his footwork and route-running ability.

However, he also noted in inconsistency as a blocker and struggles that he has had to make difficult catches.

“Highly targeted tight end whose playing style and physical abilities land somewhere between a connected (in-line or wing) and move tight end,” Zierlein wrote. “LaPorta has the ability to threaten zone coverage and will make the basic catches. However, he lacks the desired elusiveness and ball skills to come away with the more challenging catches.

“LaPorta takes on run-blocking chores with inconsistent positioning but has the potential to improve with more work in that phase of the game. His catch production is splashy, but he appears to have average-starter potential at the next level.”