ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The Detroit Lions selected Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta No. 34 overall, their first of three picks in the second round of the NFL draft on Friday night.
Detroit acquired the early second-round pick from Arizona on Thursday as part of a trade that gave the Cardinals the No. 6 pick overall.
The Lions had a pair of selections in the first round, trading down to draft Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12 and taking Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell just six slots later.
Detroit is hoping rookies such as LaPorta bolster its chances of living up to relatively high expectations for a franchise that has been a league laughingstock for decades.
LaPorta said he matches up well with the former Hawkeyes who play, or have played, the position in the NFL, such as T.J. Hockenson and Dallas Clark.
“I feel like I'm right up there,” said LaPorta, who watched the draft with family and friends in his hometown of Highland, Illinois.
The Lions won eight of their final 10 games last season and finished above .500 for the first time since 2017.
Detroit was active early in free agency, signing veterans such as Cameron Sutton to improve one of the league's worst defenses along with running back David Montgomery and receiver Marvin Jones to join one of the NFL's top offenses, which now includes LaPorta.
