Despite his season ending early with a back injury, Sam LaPorta is still considered one of the best tight ends in the NFL.
In ESPN’s most recent release of their top-10 players at each position, as voted on by executives, coaches and scouts around the league, LaPorta checked in at No. 4 among his contemporaries.
“He’s got great hands—he’ll make a lot of circus, contested catches, especially in the red zone—and his blocking is high level,” an NFC scout had to say about LaPorta. “Just an all-around problem.”
LaPorta’s third season in the league was his least productive from a statistical standpoint when it came to receptions (40), receiving yards (489), and touchdowns (3), but that can be attributed to playing in just nine games in 2025—also a season low for the third-year tight end. But looking at LaPorta’s efficiency numbers reveals why he’s still considered a top-5 player at his position.
No player among the top-10 tight ends generated more yards after first contact per reception than LaPorta (2.25), and his 6.9 yards after the catch per reception ranked first among all NFL tight ends. His 12.2 yards per reception, 69.4% success rate, 54.3 receiving yards per game, and 81.6% catch rate were all season highs for LaPorta in 2025.
The three players ahead of LaPorta on the list included Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, and the veteran George Kittle—who is coming off an injury of his own, an Achilles tear he suffered late last season. The NFC North was well represented on this year’s list, including Tucker Kraft (No. 6), Colston Loveland (No. 7), and Cole Kmet (honorable mention). Former Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson also received some votes in the annual survey.
What’s perhaps most notable about LaPorta’s inclusion on the list is that he went unranked on some surveys returned by those participating, and he was the highest-ranked player on the list to go unranked. Some of those may have question marks about LaPorta’s health, but head coach Dan Campbell believes LaPorta’s rehab is on track and he’s trending toward being available for training camp.
“We like where he is going; he is trending the right way,” Campbell said during OTAs.
Should LaPorta be healthy and ready at the beginning of the season—and stay healthy—he could be in line to have his most productive season yet with Drew Petzing at the helm of Detroit’s offense. Trey McBride, Petzing’s former tight end, reached out to LaPorta shortly after the Lions hired Petzing.
“I texted him right away,” McBride told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press at Pro Bowl practice earlier this week. “I was like, ‘Man, you’re going to love it. You’re going to eat, you’re going to have a great career.’ I’m excited for him.”
