ESPN’s Mel Kiper places Iowa Hawkeyes’ Sam LaPorta as the No. 2 tight end on latest big board
Iowa Hawkeyes tight end Sam LaPorta finds himself on another top list of tight ends for the upcoming college football season and the 2023 NFL draft. This time he finds himself coming in all the way near the top as the No. 2 tight end per Mel Kiper’s latest big board rankings.
This is the highest we have seen LaPorta come in at in rankings for 2023 NFL draft prospects, but it says a lot considering it is coming from one of the flagship draft analysts out there.
Pro Football Focus has LaPorta as the No. 5 tight end overall, another piece of evidence showing a resounding belief in LaPorta as a future NFL starter. To go along with that, PFF also placed him among their list of top names to watch as draft risers during the fall of 2022.
The receiving tools are there for LaPorta as he led Big Ten tight ends in nearly every major statistical category last year along with being the Hawkeyes best pass catcher.
SAM LAPORTA FOR DUTY SIR pic.twitter.com/qDZLB7LofT
— Heavens! (@HeavensFX) November 21, 2020
An area that LaPorta is developing in has been the blocking aspect of the tight end position. To take the next step to the NFL, that is somewhere teams will want to not only see a skillset in, but also a willingness to get physical in the trenches. LaPorta has shown the ability to do so.
TBD on if Sam LaPorta joins this TE class…but he's got plenty of good film from this year
He's still developing as a blocker, but there are plenty of big reps like this pic.twitter.com/LUppnticNZ
— Connor Rogers (@ConnorJRogers) December 31, 2021
For LaPorta, it isn’t a matter of if, but rather when he gets drafted and where he ultimately calls home following the 2023 NFL draft. For now, he has a ceiling that is sky high for this season and will very likely be the Hawkeyes’ main target offensively once again.
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