One NFC scout was impressed by tight end Sam LaPorta’s record-breaking Pro Bowl rookie season for the Detroit Lions.

“He’s f–king awesome,” the scout said, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “Everything looks super easy and natural to him. Great feet. Great in the red zone. Strains every play, whether blocking or running routes. Plays the game the right way, snap in and snap out. Strong for his size and so instinctive.”

LaPorta set an NFL rookie record for tight ends by making 86 catches in 17 appearances his rookie season. He amassed 889 receiving yards while leading all tight ends with 10 touchdowns during the regular season.

Although LaPorta dropped five passes over the stretch, an NFL executive told Fowler that the 23-year-old tight end has “good hands that won’t be a problem long term.”

LaPorta, a second-round pick out of Iowa, is beginning to look like one of the steals of the 2023 NFL Draft given his chemistry with Lions quarterback Jared Goff.

Goff threw for 4,575 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, his high totals since joining the Lions in 2021, in part because of being able to add LaPorta as a target.

Now that the Lions have extended Goff through the 2028 season, that connection will be expected to continue driving Detroit’s offense as the team looks to build on last season’s NFC Championship game appearance and go on an even deeper playoff run in 2025.