Sam LaPorta will break into the top 12 of all tight ends within the NFL this year.
Experts questioned whether LaPorta was the right pick for Detroit at the time he was drafted. Most people argue that LaPorta possesses skill and also has a lot of potential, yet people think the position he was picked at was a little premature when the depth of the draft contained much more talent. However, as time shows, LaPorta was the right selection.
In college, he was a top-ten tight end within all NCAA football. At Iowa, he was a great pass catcher during his senior year. He had 58 receptions, leading his team as the number one pass catcher. In these receptions, he had 678 yards with only one touchdown; he showed that he is a reliable target in both short-yardage and red-zone situations. I know his production in college is going to show that he can provide enough catching expertise to place him in the twelve. To add on, he has the ability to create separation and make contested catches to supply himself as a threat on the field. LaPorta’s stats in college project that he will be locked as a promising tight end this year, landing within the top twelve.
He is considered elite.
In the NFL combine, LaPorta had one of the top performances in his position. He showed that he was a high-level athlete during this time. The most notable was his speed during the forty-yard dash when he ran a 4.59, which is in the ninety-eighth percentile. This is very good and not common for most in his position. If you look at other tight ends, most are on the slower side. To add on, at the combine, he was pronounced the best or one of the best tight ends in catching ability.
Despite him being ranked third in his position overall in the draft, the Lions took a gamble, which I don’t think will be a problem for Dan Campbell to incorporate into the offensive scheme. In past years, Campbell created plays specifically for the tight end position, which was showcased with T.J. Hockenson before he was traded over to the Minnesota Vikings.
Campbell will help LaPorta immerse himself to be seen as a successful top tight end.
Now, when we look at his NFL debut, he had one of the best of all rookies. In Laportas’ start against the Kansas City Chiefs, he supplied the Lions catches in big spots when trailing, specifically in the third quarter when it was third and twelve with seven minutes and 33 seconds to go. This single catch started the Lions’ momentum as they climbed back. This shows that he can catch the ball in tough spots and gain ground to help his team, which is detrimental to the tight end position. He also shared a nineteen percent target share between all of the Lions receivers and was the second-best behind Amon-Ra St. Brown.
He is a top-twelve tight end.
