Sam Laporta 40 time: How fast is Lions' new TE?

The Detroit Lions drafted tight end Sam Laporta with the 34th overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Lions showed glimpses of a successful rebuild last season and adding a big tight end like Laporta will allow quarterback Jared Goff an additional weapon.

The Detroit Lions were blown away by the tight end during the 2023 NFL Combine. At 6'3, 245 pounds, he ran an impressive 4.59 in the 40 yard dash. He also ran the three-cone drill in an impressive 6.91 seconds.

Sam LaPorta ran the third fastest time by a tight end in this year's NFL Combine, which was .05 seconds off the fastest time. Miami's Will Mallory ran a 4.54 and Old Dominion's Zack Kuntz ran a 4.55. Showing the versatility and speed that this year's tight end class has and the type of skills they will now bring to the NFL.

Vernon Davis still holds the record for the fastest 40 yard dash time by a tight end. Davis ran 40 in 4.38 seconds in the 2006 NFL Combine. A time that still stands to this day.

LaPorta's speed is just one of the things that makes him a versatile tight end. His catching ability and strength also helps keep plays alive. And also making himself hard to tackle for opposing defenses.

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Where did Sam LaPorta play college football?

Sam LaPorta had a standout high school career at Highland High School in Highland, Illinois. He played wide receiver and defensive back and accumulated 3,793 receiving yards and 50 touchdowns in four years. He then committed to play football at the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, where he switched to tight end.

During his senior season with the Iowa Hawkeyes, the 22-year-old caught 58 passes for 657 receiving yards, impressive considering it was a disappointing season for the offense. He finished his collegiate career 14th on the list for receiving yards in program history with 1,786 yards. That also put him first among all tight ends in Hawkeyes school history.

He had 20 missed tackles during the 2022 college football season, which put him second on the list for most missed tackles among draft eligible tight ends. While it was his speed and catching ability that made him a great receiving tight end, he was also one of the best blocking tight ends in college football last season.