Notre Dame visit 'amazing' for three-star WR Geordon Porter

Notre Dame set the standard for Geordon Porter.

On his first official visit as a senior recruit, the three-star wide receiver from Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) soaked in the Irish experience at Saturday's game against Georgia.

“When I first arrived there, I've never seen so many people just walking around the campus and tailgating before a game,” Porter said. “Football down there is crazy. Then when we entered the stadium, it was packed already.

“There were fans already going crazy constantly chanting throughout the game. It never stopped. It was always loud. They chant from the beginning to the end of the game. I've never seen a football game like that ever in my life.”

Hard to beat a review like that. When the 6-foot-2, 175-pound Porter makes official visits to Arizona State on Sept. 23 and Utah on Oct. 7, both schools will have their hands full trying to top the Irish.

“It was amazing,” Porter said. “That's a legendary school with so much tradition.”

Porter’s history with Notre Dame doesn’t run that far back. On the same day in June that four-star wide receiver Braden Lenzy flipped his commitment from Notre Dame to Oregon, the Irish extended an offer to Porter. It was a clear move to replace the speed lost from Lenzy with similar speed from Porter.

In May, Porter recorded a 100-meter dash of 10.68 seconds. A few weeks earlier, Lenzy notched a personal record of 10.62. The two are different physically – Lenzy’s two inches shorter — but both can fly.

Porter saw his offer list expand during track season. Alabama, Georgia, Duke and UCLA entered the conversation weeks before Notre Dame. Now Porter’s trying to prove that the offseason attention was deserved.

“It's cool. People want to see if it's real,” Porter said. “Proving them that it is real and it's not just hype, it feels great. It really does.”

247Sports slates Porter as the No. 53 wide receiver in the 2018 class. Rivals ranks him No. 67 at the position.

Porter has caught 13 passes for 356 yards and four touchdowns in the first three games of his senior season at Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) Etiwanda. His average of 27.4 yards per reception shows his coveted ability to make big plays.

That’s the role Notre Dame has pitched to Porter.

“Mostly going down and being a vertical threat,” he said. “Going down the field, catching balls and making more space in the offense. That's why I think I'd fit well in the offense."

The Irish didn’t show much success stretching the field in its 20-19 loss to Georgia. The best opportunity came on a flea flicker to Equanimeous St. Brown on the first play of the game, but the go-to receiver dropped the Brandon Wimbush pass.

With Georgia putting pressure on Wimbush, no pass play went for more than 32 yards. One of the two 32-yard receptions was on a screen pass to running back Josh Adams. The other was to tight end Alizé Mack.

The lack of success wasn’t a disappointment for Porter. It can also be seen as an opportunity. If the current Irish wide receivers can’t do it, perhaps he can.

“They played well. Going against Georgia, that's a good team,” Porter said. “They were a little slow on the pass on the offense, but overall they played well on both sides of the ball. I really liked the way they played. They played with some heart.”

Two coaches have led Notre Dame’s recruitment of Porter: wide receiver coach DelVaughn Alexander and recruiting coordinator Brian Polian.

“I like him,” Porter said of Alexander. “He's a great guy. I like the way he talks about his receivers and how to run routes. Always to go 100 percent and always give effort.”

Polian recruits in California.

"He's also a great guy,” Porter said. “He's always talking about, 'We need an athlete like you.' He said on either side of the ball. 'We just need an athlete like you if you come here.' He's a great coach too.”

As Notre Dame’s special teams coordinator as well, Polian could likely find a role to use Porter’s speed outside of wide receiver.

Porter plans to make a commitment decision at the end of his senior season. His scheduled official visits will give Porter a better idea of how Notre Dame measures up to the competition. But he doesn’t anticipate needing to know much more about the Irish.

“I don't really feel like there's anything else to learn. They gave me everything,” Porter said. “Obviously it's a great academic school and a great football school. They just gave me all the information. I don't think I have any questions.”

tjames@ndinsider.com

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Twitter: @TJamesNDI