Arkansas got the attention of Cypress (Texas) Cy Ranch junior defensive end Ashton Porter when it roughed up Texas early last season and a got a chance to show the rest of its program on Saturday.
Porter (6-4, 240) was one of several top 2023 and 2024 prospects that Razorback head coach Sam Pittman and his staff hosted on Saturday.
He has a 3.85 grade point average and is looking to major in mechanical engineering.
“I really like the academic standpoint, my family pretty much wants academics first over football and Coach Pittman wanted to know me as a person first over a player,” Porter said. “That really stood out to me.”
Porter, who ESPN has as a 4-star recruit, the No. 31 defensive end and No. 233 overall prospect nationally, was impressed with Arkansas' turnaround from 3-7 to 9-4 this season.
“It's going big,” Porter said. “I watched them this season and I was like 'yeah, they're pretty good this year,' and last year they really weren't that good, and then I saw them beat Texas. I'm really glad I came out to Arkansas.”
Porter, who said the visit improved Arkansas in its quest to land him, has offers from Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor, Arizona, Arizona State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, TCU, Michigan State, Nebraska and others.
He has made unofficial visits to Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Clemson.
Porter, who joined Texas A&M five-star linebacker commit Harold Perkins (6-2, 210) and Baylor offensive line signee Bryce Simpson (6-6, 310) to lead Cy Ranch this season, had 44 tackles, 19 for loss, 3 sacks, 8 quarterback hurries and 1 pass break up as a junior.
That followed a sophomore campaign in which he had 32 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.
“I’m still working on double teams, that's what I need to work on the most,” Porter said. “My strongest is probably using my hands a lot."
Cy Ranch went 7-3 this past season while losing in the first round of the playoffs.
“I think I did pretty good, got double-teamed for pretty much most of the time and I am just looking forward,” Porter said.