Raiders NFL Draft Prospect: TE Sam LaPorta, Iowa Hawkeyes
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The Las Vegas Raiders have yet to sign replacements at the tight end position after trading away Pro Bowler Darren Waller for a third-round pick (100th overall) earlier this month.
Raiders General Manager Dave Ziegler has mentioned that he likes the depth and quality at the tight end position in the upcoming draft, indicating that he could aim for the draft to add its replacements.
Ziegler and company might possibly use the first three selections of the draft on a quarterback, a defensive tackle, and an offensive tackle, so drafting a tight end could occur in the mid-rounds.
While other tight ends might be out of reach by the second round, this year’s draft offers more tight end talent inside the top 100 than the previous three years combined.
Tight End Sam LaPorta, Iowa Hawkeyes
“A prototypical Y tight end who covers every aspect of the position, LaPorta could be amongst the top tight ends drafted in his class,” Draft Bible said of LaPorta.
LaPorta is the next tight end to come out of the University of Iowa, a school known to produce tight ends at the next level.
At 6-3 and 245 pounds, LaPorta checks in at the ideal size of an in-line tight end and has the skill level of playing on the wing.
Athleticism is not a question for LaPorta, who ran a 4.59 on the 40-yard dash during the NFL Scouting Combine, the third fastest among tight ends.
LaPorta has strong hands, and a good catch radius for a tight end his size, but even more impressive is how physical he is after the catch. He’s a player who will fight to gain extra yardage and is tough to bring down.
Appearing and starting in 12 games, LaPorta caught 58 passes for 657 and one touchdowns this past season.
Highly targeted in key situations, he could be a good threat to score for a Raiders team that has struggled to put points on the board while reaching the end zone.
According to Pro Football Focus, LaPorta finished the 2022-2023 season as the highest-graded tight end in the Big Ten at 85.3.
“Provided yards from underneath and intermediate routes, including crossers, posts, and seven routes. Smooth at the top of his route, showing precision in his footwork. A cerebral player who will exploit holes in zone coverage. Knows when to slow his tempo and be patient against leverage. Adjusts his stem accordingly and looks back for the ball in a timely manner. Exceptional reaction time, catching the front of the ball and getting upfield,” Draft Bible added.
LaPorta might need a year to fully get implemented into the offense and improve his blocking skills, but in the end, the Raiders can end up drafting a franchise player without having to trade up in the draft.
The NFL Draft will occur at Union Station in Kansas City, Mo., from Thursday, April 25, to Saturday, April 29. ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network will broadcast all seven rounds.
The 2023 NFL Year and Free Agency period began at 4 p.m. EDT on March 15. The Raiders are expected to be significant players in the free-agent market this season.
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