He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes and was named the Big Ten Tight End of the Year in 2022.

[4][5] LaPorta entered his freshman season in 2019 behind Nate Wieting and Shaun Beyer in the depth chart.

[16] In their first game against ranked Indiana, LaPorta set a new career-best with 83 yards on five receptions in a 34–6 blowout win.

[17] Against Kent State, LaPorta caught a career-best seven catches while totaling 65 yards and adding a touchdown in a 30–7 win.

[19] Against ranked Kentucky in the 2022 Citrus Bowl, LaPorta had his first 100-yard game with seven receptions, matching a career-high, for 122 yards and a touchdown that gave the Hawkeyes the lead.

[25] To open the 2022 season, LaPorta was put on the Rotary Lombardi Award and Mackey Award Preseason Watch List as well as being named Preseason Third-Team All-American by Phil Steele, Fourth-Team All-American by Athlon Sports, and First-Team All-Big Ten by both Steele and Athlon.

He was named Fourth-Team All-American by Phil Steele, First-Team All-Big Ten, and Kwalick–Clark Tight End of the Year.

[43] In the Lions' Week 15 win over the Denver Broncos, LaPorta became the first rookie tight end since Jeremy Shockey in 2002 to record 70 receptions in a season while also becoming the first rookie tight end since Joseph Fauria in 2013 to record three receiving touchdowns in a single game.

[44] In Week 18 against the Minnesota Vikings, LaPorta broke the single-season rookie tight end record for receptions with 82.

[46] After finishing the season with 86 receptions, 889 yards, and a tight end leading 10 touchdowns, LaPorta was named to the 2024 Pro Bowl Games.

[49] LaPorta was also named a finalist for the Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Year Award.

[52] In his first postseason game, LaPorta scored a receiving touchdown in the Wild Card Round win over the Rams.