What Team Could Pick Sam LaPorta in the 2023 NFL Draft?

March 1, 2023

Which team could pick TE Sam LaPorta in the 2023 NFL Draft? Which teams need a TE the most? Read the draft outlook.

The University of Iowa tight end factory, previously home to Noah Fant, T.J. Hockenson, and George Kittle, may have done it again. This year's NFL 2023 Draft will include another tight end from Iowa, Sam LaPorta.

This year's tight end draft class is deep, led by Michael Mayer of Notre Dame, who has a PFF Big Board Rank of 29. Depending on how the 2023 free agency period shakes out, four to five NFL teams need a tight end.

So who could pick LaPorta, and will it be a good fit?

Who Is Sam LaPorta?

LaPorta is a four-year senior at the University of Iowa. He finished high school playing both wide receiver and defensive back. He converted to the tight end position in his first year at Iowa.

LaPorta stands 6'4", weighs in at 249 pounds, has a 77" wingspan, and his hands are 10". He is athletic but unremarkable, good but not great. In his last season at Iowa, LaPorta hauled in 58 receptions and had 14 broken tackles for 657 receiving yards. He averaged 11.33 yards per catch and added one touchdown.

Part of his lackluster stats is due to the poor play of Iowa quarterbacks. Still, LaPorta did well. He accounted for 14.2% of the team's total touchdowns and 32.3% of their total receiving yards.

LaPorta's Draft Equity

LaPorta has reliable hands and a massive route tree. He is an effective first-down converter with good tracking ability in over-the-shoulder, downfield, and up-the-seam passes.

LaPorta is a tight end prospect with a high upside but a contained ceiling. He doesn't have glaring weaknesses but also has no superior strengths. He is athletic enough but does not have the explosiveness out of his transitions. LaPorta has a long speed but no top gear.

While he can be counted on to move the chains, his run blocking is below par.

To date, LaPorta is good without being great. In his last two seasons at Iowa, he had 106 receptions, 1271 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. He collected 148 receptions, 1730 receiving yards, and five touchdowns for his career.

What Team Could Pick LaPorta in the 2023 NFL Draft?

Expect to see LaPorta's name mentioned in the third round. The Patriots could pick LaPorta with the 76^th pick they acquired from Carolina.

The New England Patriots currently have Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith as their starting tight ends. They also have Matt Sokol and Scotty Washington under contract. Henry had the third most catches (41) and receiving yards (509) on the team last season. Smith, on the other hand, has been a disappointment. He played 40% of the offensive snaps and received only 38 targets.

The return of offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien is a step up for the Patriots' offense. In O'Brien's last stint as the Patriots offensive coordinator, tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez were both productive. Gronkowski finished with 17 touchdowns and 1327 yards, and Hernandez had seven touchdowns and 910 yards.

I'm not saying Henry and LaPorta are Gronkowski and Hernandez's talent, but that the two tight end system O'Brien utilizes allows each of them to be insanely productive.

Smith's nonproductive time in New England, with a $17.2 million cap hit in 2023 and an $18.4 million hit in 2024, seems a bit excessive when you can pick up a capable tight end in the draft for a lot less.

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