Sam LaPorta Mackey Award Finalist

Iowa Senior 1 of 3 in Running for Top Tight End Honor

Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta (84) is tackled following a catch against Purdue on Nov. 5, 2022 at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. (Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)

IOWA CITY, Iowa - University of Iowa senior tight end Sam LaPorta is one of three finalists for the John Mackey Award. Presented annually by the Friends of John Mackey, the award goes to the nation’s most outstanding tight end.

LaPorta is joined as a finalist by Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer and Brock Bowers of Georgia.

LaPorta (6-foot-4, 249-pounds) leads Iowa in both receptions and receiving yards, totaling 53 receptions for 601 yards and a touchdown. LaPorta was injured in the first quarter of Iowa’s win at Minnesota and did not play against Nebraska. LaPorta leads the Big Ten Conference tight ends in receptions and yards.

LaPorta’s career totals include 148 receptions for 1,730 yards to rank 15th in career receiving yards. Among Iowa tight ends, he ranks first in career receptions and is second to Marv Cook in receiving yards.

LaPorta had nine receptions for 101 yards at Illinois, six receptions for 55 yards at Ohio State and three receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown at Purdue. Prior to his first quarter injury at Minnesota, he had totaled four catches for 95 yards.

Iowa has had two previous winners of the Mackey Award, including Dallas Clark in 2002 and T.J. Hockenson in 2018. Tony Moeaki (2009), Allen Reisner (2010) and Noah Fant (2018) were also semifinalists for the award.

Iowa (7-5, 5-4) will find out its bowl destination on Sunday. The Hawkeyes are expecting their 20th bowl invite over the past 24 seasons under Moon Family head football coach Kirk Ferentz.