The Detroit Lions selected Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta with the 34th overall pick in the NFL draft. There were rumblings LaPorta could climb to the bottom of the first round — and he almost did. Instead, he joins Jack Campbell in the Motor City, as the Lions selected him with the third pick in the 2nd round.
LaPorta, ironically enough, is going to fill the void that fellow Hawkeyes tight end T.J. Hockenson left. The Lions spent the ninth overall pick on Hockenson back in 2019, and traded him to the Vikings midway through the 2022 season. LaPorta joins a thin tight end room that has just 600 career receiving yards combined.
LaPorta’s the Hawkeyes’ all-time receptions leader among tight ends. In 2022, he won Big Ten tight end of the year, and was a finalist for the Mackey Award. His senior year he caught 58 passes for 657 yards and a score. LaPorta led the team in receptions and yards the past two seasons, and was the only consistent weapon in the offense both seasons.
Offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz said in December that LaPorta was the best player he ever coached: “Sam LaPorta is as good of a player as I’ve ever coached — probably the best one,” Ferentz said. “He’s an exceptional competitor — very talented. If my son could grow up and just emulate that in whatever he chooses to do I’d be awfully proud of him.”
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