Notre Dame’s on field success this fall is starting to translate into a little momentum on the recruiting trail. Notre Dame added its 18th commitment to the class of 2018 on Wednesday and its third wide receiver in the form of California native Geordon Porter.
Porter, a 3-star wide receiver selected Notre Dame over Arizona State, Washington State, UCLA, and Utah. While he is the third wide receiver to join the class, Porter adds an element that was missing from the group ever since Braden Lenzy decommitted in the spring – speed. Porter is a deep threat with great top end speed. Not coincidentally, Porter was offered the same day that Lenzy decommitted.
Porter was off to a great start to his senior season before suffering a broken collarbone four weeks into the season. He is, however, expected back this weekend.
Porter joins Micah Jones and Kevin Austin as Notre Dame wide receiver commitments in this class of 2018 though they might not be done adding receivers with Lawrence Keys, Amon Ra St. Brown, and Chase Cota all still on the board. If any of the three – St. Brown specifically – wanted to join the class, they almost certainly wouldn’t be turned away.
While Porter brings the speed element that the group has been missing, he is arguably the most raw prospect of the trio of committed receivers. Jones is a massive target in the mold of Miles Boykin while Kevin Austin is the kind of all around wide receiver that Notre Dame has been lacking in recent years. Porter is more sprinter than football player right now in that he gets by with speed alone. At the next level he’ll need to improve his route running. Even before he does that though, you can’t coach speed and he has plenty of that.
Notre Dame will have at least 12 wide receivers on scholarship for 2018 as of right now assuming Porter, Austin, and Jones all end up signing and would have 13 if say Amon-Ra St. Brown decided to jump on board. Of all of those receivers, however, Kevin Stepherson is probably the one one who brings the same kind of speed element that Notre Dame now has with Porter.
With 18 commitments in the class, Notre Dame does not have a lot of spots remaining and if they keep winning like they are, scholarships could be tough to come by the Irish by Signing Day. We say this almost every year though and most years it’s a non-issue by February. Still, the momentum that Notre Dame has built around the program could very well start carrying over to the recruiting trail starting with Porter.
Look for Notre Dame to really focus on cornerbacks now with none currently committed and a need for at least two in this class. The Irish still need to add another offensive lineman as well and stop me if you heard this, but it would be nice to add another pass rusher. Notre Dame has been very fortunate with the development of Julian Okwara, Khalid Kareem and Daelin Hayes this year but they need to be adding a big time pass rusher each year.
Geordon Porter Senior Year Film
Here are some highlights from the first four games of the year for Porter before his injury.
Cig, thanks for being the proofreader. When the Irish were dueling for Tony Dorsett the ND recruiter was going up against Pitt. It was a real head to head battle for Him. We dead evened with Him 2-2.
There ;is something to be said for 4-5 year players as the CORE of your team.
A hotshot arrives and expects to play right away. Unless they enter early, in January, they are WAY behind on strength, mass and fitness, and farther behind on scheme and concept.
They, too often, expect to start as frosh. Just review the frosh numbers of Demetris Robertson at California. That is not data-mining, but all too typical of first year players. For further iinfo, look at Najee Harris this year at Alabama.
By the end of the second season they are peeking at their name in the next year’s mock draft and those verminous parasites called agents are already trying to get their pimpish claws on them, their family or their “handlers.”
Four and Five year players, or players who start out with that intent, are different. They buy into the school, the team, their teammates. “Intent and expectation” are key. Para ejemplo, Josh Adams. His commitment and leadership arrived last season as a true soph, and he continued through the winter conditioning and spring practice and, VOILA, he is a captain.
Now, it would not shock reason if Adams, in an outcome that was unforeseeable when he signed the LOI in ’15, leaves for the NFL. And all of ND that CARES about players, including Kelly and most true alumni, will embrace and applaud Josh for his past accomplishments and cheer on his future success. But he has bought into the gestalt of Notre Dame, and it shows in his reflections on his family, his work with the kid in his work study program, his leadership on the field, and the quiet confidence of his interviews when he represents not only Josh Adama, but his teammates and the very essence of Notre Dame.
Kids who are bound and determined to be 3 and out are different. They seldom “buy in” to the school, the program or their teammates.
Commitment matters.
Remember, WE ARE ND. It’s about real gold, not fool’s gold.
Go Irish!.
Amon Ra St Brown is the duel purpose 5 star player we need most out of this field. He will be going pro after three years. Put him on the field right away.
“Duel” purpose? I think you are confusing him with Aaron Burr.