Tampa Catholic's Xavier Porter Earns UCF Offer

UCF just offered one of the top 2024 prospects in the city of Tampa, Xavier Porter.

Brian Smith | Feb 23, 2022

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UCF Knights

TAMPA - The Knights are continuing to go after the prospects in the greater Central Florida region. From Clearwater Beach to Cocoa Beach, UCF is scouring the region to find the best talent and bring them to the Bounce House.

One of the biggest needs for UCF and just about every school playing FBS football would be versatility along the defensive line, and that’s exactly what the following prospect provides.

Xavier Porter

Size: 6’4”, 265-pounds

Position: Defensive End/Defensive Tackle

Class: 2024

High School: Tampa (Fla.) Catholic

Scholarship Offers

Florida State, UCF, Marshall, North Carolina State, and Florida Atlantic.

Frame

Long arms that allow him to impact passing lanes are evident. His broad hips and powerful upper legs generate the power that allows him to be a physical player on the edge or along the interior.

Athleticism

Quickness for his size, very good. Power allows him to overwhelm many high school players, but his first step catches those same players by surprise. Porter’s lateral mobility is also an asset.

Positions

UCF’s most recent offer is a player that’s just beginning to come into his own. I’ve seen Xavier Porter play several times. Could be a SDE or WDE in college. ⁦@xavierporter22⁩ ⁦@TC_Football⁩ ⁦@TCCrusader⁩ ⁦@Dwight_XOS⁩ pic.twitter.com/4ePjXWmm2t
— Inside The Knights (@UCF_FanNation) February 24, 2022

He’s a defensive end and a defensive tackle in high school, but will likely be a swing player in college, i.e. strong side defensive end and three technique. Few interior offensive lineman will be quick enough to handle Porter when he moves inside and uses his athleticism and size during obvious passing situations.

Playing Style

Hit the gap and go! Porter does well in a one-gap system that seeks to penetrate and create negative plays in the opponent’s backfield. He’s naturally strong and that strength allows him to bull rush pretty well. The next step is coming up with multiple counter moves. Once Porter has weapons like slap-rip and double swipe that he can then fine tune, look out. With two more years of high school, that should not be a problem at all.

Final Thoughts

It’s early for the class of 2024 prospect, but he’s already established himself as one of the top 2024 players in the greater Central Florida region. He’s raw, yes, but the upside is tremendous. As long as Porter listens to his coaches and continues to work his craft, the sky's the limit.

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