A trio of former Iowa football stars were recognized by their NFL peers.
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle, Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs were each voted inside the top 100 NFL players according to a vote from their fellow NFL players.
Kittle was the highest-ranked Hawkeye at No. 14 overall, LaPorta checked in at No. 80 and Wirfs cracked the top 100 at No. 85.
NFL Top 💯
8️⃣5️⃣ – @TristanWirfs78
8️⃣0️⃣ – @Samlaporta
1️⃣4️⃣ – @gkittle46 #NFLHawks pic.twitter.com/2FCmkpOA1E— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) August 3, 2024
Kittle helped guide San Francisco to another NFC Championship and Super Bowl appearance last season. The 6-foot-4, 250 pound tight end reeled in 73 receptions for 1,132 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last season.
Kittle tracked down his second career first-team All-Pro honor and was voted to the Pro Bowl for the fifth time.
In Detroit, LaPorta wasted no time establishing himself as the next great Hawkeye tight end to cruise into the NFL ranks. During his rookie season, LaPorta caught 107 passes for 1,065 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns as the Lions advanced to the NFC Championship game for the first time since the 1991 NFL season. In the process, Detroit snapped a nine-game postseason losing streak.
Meanwhile, in Tampa Bay, Wirfs just became the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman in league history. The 6-foot-5, 320 pound offensive tackle inked a five-year, $140.63 million contract extension.
Iowa’s track record of development continues with the success of these three Hawkeyes at the next level.
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