Four-star DE Xavier Porter commits to Louisville
Despite more than two dozen scholarship offers to his name, the race for Xavier Porter's commitment came down to a trio of options.
It coincided with the three official visits he took in the month of June, first to Louisville and then to Penn State and Kansas to round things out.
On Saturday afternoon, the Tampa (Fla.) Catholic four-star stuck with the program that emerged amid the trips and he'll head to the ACC at the next level.
"I've decided to go to Louisville," Porter said. "I feel like it was the better fit for me on and off the field. I like what Kansas has going on over there but it's Louisville that's the better fit.
"When I came back from the last visit, I knew exactly where I wanted to go."
The Cardinals getting the first official visit was critical for Jeff Brohm's program winning this recruitment. There was a perception of the program, not always positive, Porter had been exposed to. But taking the trip cleared it all up last month.
"It's a small town and the people there are just great," he said. "It felt pretty good up there, it's not nearly what people make it out to be.
"There's a huge culture change there."
Porter even told the Cardinals coaching staff he was on board well before Saturday's announcement. It reflected the trust the rising-senior recruit has in his future coaching staff.
"Coach Brohm has a proven track record and my D-line coach, coach (Mark) Hagen has a reputation of turning guys from low draft picks to high draft picks," Porter said. "I feel like he can get me there, being a quick and twitchy three-technique.
"I feel real comfortable with coach Brohm. He can turn around a program that has been doing bad to help a good one hit the ground running. He also brings in good guys in the recruiting process, which is why I think he's a good coach."
When Porter informed the staff of his commitment, each reaction stood out. It only reemphasized the comfort he has in the selection.
"They were all really fired up. Coach (Mark) Ivey, the one who has been recruiting me the hardest, went crazy," he said with a laugh. "It feels good to know they really wanted me and it wasn't fake love."
Overall, Porter feels like the new coaching staff will hit the ground running in a relatively wide open ACC.
"Louisville is always in the mix of the top 25 teams of college football no matter what," he said. "I feel like with this coaching staff and players like me, we can go get a natty."
Porter is the fifth Floridian to join UofL's 2024 recruiting class, also coming in as the 15th total pledge for the program to date.
"You're getting a hidden gem," Porter said of what he'll bring to the program.