George Kittle: Sam LaPorta 'Best Tight End' in Draft Class

George Kittle shares why Sam LaPorta passes the eye test.

The Detroit Lions believe tight end Sam LaPorta is equipped to handle all that will be thrown at him over the next two months. 

George Kittle, appearing on the "Pardon My Take" podcast, expressed the talented tight end is the best player at his position to come out of college in 2023. 

Kittle noted, “LaPorta is going to be fantastic. I think Laporta’s the best tight end in the draft class. I think the Lions got a complete steal. I like the other tight ends too, but I spent two weeks training with Sam LaPorta, and the way he moves -- oh yeah, he’s got the dog in him. He’s kind of quirky, he’s kind of goofy, too. He’s going to fit in well.”

Detroit's second-round pick acclimated well to the offseason workout regimen, as he regularly made plays during rookie minicamp and OTAs. 

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson expressed, "What he has been doing so far has been pretty remarkable when you see the growth that they have already made in just a couple weeks on the field."

Kittle explained that training with LaPorta confirmed the former Hawkeyes tight end passed the eye test and has the tools to become a very successful contributor. 

“When you train with someone, whether it’s in the weight room or running routes with them, things I look for is when you’re running, do you have a forward lean? Can you get out and you’re still accelerating through 10 yards? Or do you stand straight up and you look like a brick wall moving slowly? A lot of people look like that, so he’s got a nice forward lean, and he’s got great hips, if we’re being honest.”