The Detroit Lions are on their way to a playoff berth and NFC North title after improving to 10-4 on the season. Rookie tight end Sam LaPorta is a major reason why.

LaPorta has been one of the most productive tight ends in the NFL this season, tallying 71 catches and 758 receiving yards, which rank second on the Lions behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, and nine touchdown catches, which rank first. His chemistry with Jared Goff has helped Detroit score 27.3 points per game, the fifth-highest mark in the league.

The latest product of the University of Iowa's factory of tight ends, which has produced the likes of George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant, LaPorta is having a rookie season better than all of them. In fact, he's one of the best rookie TEs ever. After a performance against the Denver Broncos that saw him score three touchdowns, LaPorta became the first rookie tight end in NFL history to record 700 receiving yards, 70 receptions and eight touchdowns.

According to Stathead, there have only been 45 seasons in NFL history where a tight end reached those numbers. Of all those seasons, LaPorta is just outside the top 10 in catch percentage. He is also approaching the rookie records in receiving yards and receptions. The former record is over 300 yards away, which is going to be incredibly tough to catch at this point, even with the extra regular-season game. But the latter record is just 12 away. Four catches over each of the final three games would be enough to do it.

Bumping up the minimums to a threshold of 70-750-9, there have only been 32 seasons where a tight end has done that. LaPorta has not only done it as a rookie but he needed just 14 games to get there.

At last year's trade deadline, the Lions shocked the NFL world by sending star tight end T.J. Hockenson to the Minnesota Vikings, a division rival, in exchange for draft picks. Hockenson has bolstered the Vikings' passing attack but the Lions finding LaPorta to replace him has helped them remain a powerhouse on offense.

Sam LaPorta is so talented that he can openly rep the Detroit Pistons, losers of 23 straight games, and still be a key contributor to a win. If the 22-year-old can overcome that — on top of the long history of ineptitude that haunts the Lions — then he can do truly anything.