Sam LaPorta performed every time he stepped on the field for the Iowa Hawkeyes and finished as one of their top tight ends to come through the program.
He is the Hawkeyes’ all-time leader in tight end receptions, which is an incredible feat topping George Kittle, Noah Fant, T.J. Hockenson, Dallas Clark, and others.
The Hawkeyes are known for producing tight ends that excel in the NFL and have the rightful name of “Tight End U” tied to them. LaPorta is going to be the next tight end making the move to the NFL and The 33rd Team has put him firmly among the top five tight end prospects in the 2023 NFL draft as the third-highest graded tight end.
Which of these tight ends would you move up or down in our rankings?
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) April 3, 2023
Among the other tight ends are Notre Dame‘s Michael Mayer and Utah’s Dalton Kincaid at No. 1 and No. 2. Tucker Kraft from South Dakota State and Cincinnati’s Josh Whyle come in at three and four rounding out The 33rd Team’s top five tight end prospects.
Recent mock drafts have LaPorta going in the mid-second round as his NFL Combine performance seems to have cemented him as a strong prospect on NFL teams’ draft boards.
His career at Iowa was stellar and not only do his measurements look good, but his on-field production also speaks volumes. As the main target in an often anemic passing offense, he still found ways to win and make plays.
LaPorta ended his Iowa career with 153 receptions, 1,786 yards, and five receiving touchdowns. LaPorta racked up 657 receiving yards on 58 grabs with one touchdown this past season.
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