Sam LaPorta, Iowa Football News: Draft Scout Player News

07/01/22 - TE Sam LaPorta, Sr/2023, Iowa

A third-team All-Big Ten selection in 2021, Sam LaPorta outplayed his lack of accolades, especially late in the season. Over his final three games, LaPorta totaled 245 receiving yards. His 122 receiving yards against Kentucky in the Citrus Bowl are tied for the second-most in an Iowa bowl game. He scored on a 36-yard screen pass early in the fourth quarter. "Sam's a guy that runs great routes," Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras said. "He catches the football and he makes plays after he catches them. A great tight end like that is a quarterback's best friend. He's just a great player. It's just my job to get him the ball when he's open, and that's quite a bit." "He just has a knack for getting open," said Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell, one of LaPorta's roommates and a second-team All-American. "He does a great job of just finding the soft spots in a zone, sitting down."

LaPorta, 21, considered leaving for the NFL after his third year - just like Hockenson and Fant - but instead wanted to round out his Iowa career with a great senior season and a college degree. LaPorta needs 23 catches and 532 receiving yards to become the program's all-time leader among tight ends in both categories. "He just loves it there," Staci LaPorta said. "He loves everything about Iowa football and didn't want to leave early and look back at it wishing that he would have gone back for that senior year. Just being with all of his teammates and his housemates and the coaches and to get his degree finished up. He weighed both options, but he felt really comfortable making the decision to get back for his senior year. "He's got some pretty big goals for himself." - The Athletic

Sr/2023