The Detroit Lions officially wrapped up their draft on Saturday, April 25, and then, the team made even more moves. The Lions added a handful of players after the three-day event closed out, and one of them is assurance for franchise tight end Sam LaPorta.
Tennessee tight end Miles Kitselman signed a deal with the team after the draft, according to research from Justin Melo of Sports Illustrated. Kitselman had 26 receptions and 253 receiving yards in his last year with the Volunteers, so it wasn’t a crazy-good showing, but it’s solid enough for Detroit.
NFL draft expert Lance Zierlein says that Kitselman has “good size and will play as a connected tight end on the next level.” He also has to “play with better hand placement and pad level, but he’s willing to put in work in-line or as a move blocker.”
Zierlein also projected him to be a TE3 or TE4. ” He has above-average play speed in space and showed an ability to run a variety of routes,” Zierlein notes. “He has enough speed to stress man coverage into the second level.”
Detroit Lions Add 253-Yard Receiving Tight End With Underdog Grit Behind Sam LaPorta
Kitselman has an underdog mentality and grit, which, let’s face it, fits in well with the Detroit Lions. Last summer, he sent out a message to people sleeping on Tennessee, and it shows off that underdog spirit.
“There’s a lot of people that don’t expect anything out of us, and I absolutely love that,” he said, according to On3 senior insider Chris Low. “You guys are going to look up at midseason and go, ‘Tennessee is 7-0. They’re doing it.'”
So, Kitselman helps round out this new class of fresh talent for Detroit. The Lions really nailed it with their 2026 NFL draft class and subsequent signings. Now, it’s up to the coaching staff to work with the talent they’re bringing to the Motor City.
Tight End Sam LaPorta and His Wife Have Met Pope Leo XIV
Not every NFL team can say they have a player who has met the Pope, but the Detroit Lions can assert that, thanks to LaPorta. He and his wife Callie met Pope Leo XIV, which the tight end shared on social media last summer, posting photo with his wife getting blessed by Pope Leo XIV.
“Thank you to a very busy man for blessing me and my bride. A special moment we’ll never forget,” he stated with the hashtag Catholic.
LaPorta and his wife got married on June 14, 2025.
“Over the last 11 months, I’ve had the honor of getting to know these two, what they value, what they hold close, and how deeply they love,” their photographer stated in a post on social media regarding the wedding. “From the start, it was clear: their faith, their families, friends and their devotion to one another were at the heart of everything.”
The post adds, “Their wedding day felt like a reflection of that—simple, sincere, and overflowing with love. Every detail was just the cherry on top of something already so meaningful.”
Lions Add TE With Underdog Grit to Back Sam LaPorta