The Detroit Lions weren’t the only team to be top-scoring in tight draft pick Sam LaPorta. The Cincinnati Bengals wanted him, too.
The Detroit Lions kicked off the second day of 2023 NFL Draft by taking tight end Sam LaPorta with their first pick of the second round. While taking a tight end didn’t come as a surprise to Detroit, some questioned whether LaPorta—only the second tight end taken in the draft—was the best option still available in the draft.
Well, thanks to an interview with Cincinnati Bengals Coach Zack Taylor, we know The Lions weren’t the only team that believed Laporta deserved to be selected at a very high level.
“There were definitely some tight ends that we had some respect for. They picked up beautifully (quickly). Those two top picks, we really liked them and they went with the 26th pick as likely and the 35th pick,” Taylor said on the Bleav in Bengals podcast. What I think, to Detroit.” Those two were really good players and I think they would have really helped us, but, again, we’re glad we didn’t get in, because we felt good about the group we had.”
Note: Dalton Kincaid went on to be 25th for the Bills, while Sam Laporta was 34th for the Lions. miss it so much, dreamcatcher.
Unless they were out for a trade, the Bengals didn’t stand a chance in Kincaid, as their first pick was 28th overall. They could have taken LaPorta with that choice, and Taylor’s words likely indicated he was under consideration there. However, they went with Clemson Edge fullback Myles Murphy instead, who fills an urgent need for them.
However, the tight end was also considered to have a very high need for Cincinnati. Unfortunately for them, they missed out on rushing tight ends in the second round. Not only did LaPorta pick 34, however Notre DameMichael Meyer went with the 35th pick, Luke Musgrave went for the Packers at 42, and Luke Schoonmaker went to Dallas at 58 — all before the Bengals’ next pick at 60.
Given this narrow range, it’s clear that Taylor only pointed to Kincaid and LaPorta where they felt they really missed out. At the very least, that points to the fact that LaPorta was one of the top two tight ends on the board, and again, that would mean he was being considered with their 28th pick, even if Taylor said he was glad they didn’t. It arrives.
Laporta was a highly productive player out of the cramped factory in Iowa. leaves the program as their leader in receptions for tight end and Incredibly athletic profile Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will use his full potential.
This is further evidence that the Lions got a player that a lot of analysts had in mind, and if LaPorta’s performance as a junior rookie is any indication, we’ll all be seeing that talent show up on the field very soon.
Read more
“Coffee ninja. Web fan. Hipster-friendly beer enthusiast. Professional creator.”