Sam LaPorta, TE Iowa: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

LaPorta was a three-star wide receiver recruit from Highland High School in Highland, Ill. in the class of 2019

Outside of the four tight ends included in the first round conversation, Iowa’s Sam LaPorta is the position’s best player in the 2023 NFL Draft. His fluidity and movement skills showcase his background as a wide receiver.

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Sam LaPorta, TE Iowa: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Senior tight end from Highland, Ill.

Background: LaPorta was a three-star wide receiver recruit from Highland High School in Highland, Ill. in the class of 2019. He was the No. 1,174 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 1,200 for On3.com. LaPorta was an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 74 grade out of 100. He earned First-Team All-State selections on offense as a high school junior and senior plus All-Area selections as a defensive back as a junior and senior. LaPorta earned First-Team All-Conference honors as a sophomore and was an All-Area selection on offense. He earned Honorable Mention All-Conference honors as a freshman wide receiver. His team went 40-6 during his four varsity seasons as a receiver and defensive back. LaPorta ranked second in Illinois high school history with 50 receiving touchdowns and third with 3,793 receiving yards at the time of his graduation. As a senior, he amassed 68 receptions for 1,457 yards and 19 touchdowns on offense and 53 tackles and seven interceptions on defense. As a junior, LaPorta tallied 67 receptions for 1,387 yards and 20 touchdowns along with seven interceptions. He served as a team captain for three years. He also lettered in basketball four times and track twice. LaPorta was born on Jan. 12, 2001.

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed one game in 2019 with an injury, left Minnesota (2022) game early with an injury, missed the Nebraska (2022) game

Awards: 2020 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten, 2021 Third-Team All-Big Ten (Coaches), 2022 First-Team All-Big Ten, 2022 Kwalick-Clark Big Ten Tight End of the Year

Pros: Rarely penalized, experience in the slot, out wide, and in-line, weight is evenly distributed throughout his frame, fluid lower body, quick footwork, shifty footwork to make the first defender miss in open space, stiff arm, high-end agility in this tight end class, good top speed, runs through contact without getting re-routed, uses footwork and strength to beat press coverage when lined up out wide, varies route tempo, many routes are sharp and well-defined, developed release package, widens defenders before establishing inside leverage, willing blocker

Cons: Limited special teams versatility, 11 drops in the past two seasons, arm length, looks undersized when playing in-line tight end, not explosive off the line of scrimmage, speed is more built up than sudden, speed doesn’t threaten defensive backs vertically, defensive backs sit on and crowd his routes, lacks the dynamic athleticism of wide receivers to separate from defensive backs, struggles to corral contested catches, doesn’t break many tackles with power, pushed backward as a run blocker, not an assertive blocker, defaults to throwing a shoulder as a blocker, fails to frame blocks and clamp, struggles to sustain blocks, occasionally ducks head into contact as a blocker

Overview: LaPorta took official measurements at the NFL Combine. He’s 6033 and weighs 245 lbs. He has 10 2/8-inch hands, 32 1/8-inch arms, and a 77 4/8-inch wingspan. LaPorta has experience playing in the slot, out wide, and in-line. His weight is evenly distributed throughout his frame. He looks and plays like a larger wide receiver but has a thicker frame than other “big receivers” like Will Mallory and Josh Whyle. LaPorta has a fluid lower body and plays with quick footwork. His shifty footwork allows him to make the first defender miss in open space, which isn’t a common trait in this tight end class. His agility is above average in this class. Zack Kuntz and Darnell Washington tested historically well at the Scouting Combine, but they don’t match what LaPorta does in the open field. The former three-star prospect’s top speed, agility, and stiff arm help him generate YAC. He runs through contact without getting re-routed. LaPorta uses footwork and strength to beat press coverage when lined up out wide. He varies his route tempo to manipulate defenders and establish leverage. His release package and routes are more developed and well-defined than most tight ends in this class. LaPorta is a willing but subpar blocker. He isn’t an assertive blocker and is pushed backward in the run game. The Illinois native defaults to throwing a shoulder as a blocker and fails to frame blocks and clamp down on defenders. He struggles to sustain blocks with his play strength and short arms and ducks his head into contact. LaPorta isn’t a viable blocker at the NFL level. He looks undersized when playing in-line tight end and will likely begin his pro career as a slot tight end. LaPorta has 11 drops over the past two seasons. He struggles to corral contested catches. His speed is more built up than sudden and doesn’t threaten defensive backs vertically. The All-Big Ten tight end isn’t explosive off the line of scrimmage. Defensive backs sit on and crowd his routes, and he lacks the dynamic athleticism to separate from them.

Overall, LaPorta is a well-rounded athlete who offers more upside after the catch than most tight ends in this draft class. However, his extreme limitations as a blocker make him unfit for in-line duties early in his NFL career. LaPorta’s release package and route running are impressive, but he lacks the dominant athletic traits to be a day one starter.

Role & Scheme Fit: Future starting slot/F tight end

Round Projection: Late Second to Early Third

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 03-21-23