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.