2016 Texas Longhorns Football Recruiting Class Evaluation: RB

Running Back (1)

The Longhorns are seemingly well provisioned at RB, but sameness in body type and skill set isn't always a good thing. It's also a good idea to take a player every year lest injury, academics or transfer catch you with your pants down. Porter impressed the coaches with his no-nonsense attitude on the field as much as off of it and a RB who works his ass off, hits the hole hard and takes his craft seriously is welcome on any roster.

Kyle Porter- 5-10, 205

The big question with Porter is whether the Katy product is...well...a Katy product. I'm an early adopter of the RBs Are A Creation Of Their Supporting Cast Except For A Few Special Dudes school and I have the Fantasy Football trophies courtesy of Denver running backs circa 1995-2006 to prove it.  Any Samkon Gado, Thomas Rawls or Timmy Smith fans in the house?

Porter played behind a fantastic OL in a well-coached high school juggernaut that executes the running game at a NFL level of sophistication.  That sophistication rubbed off on Porter's economic running style and his ability to read blocking, but what happens when the reading material gets harder?  What's attributable to Porter and what's attributable to Katy's system?  Porter can burst immediately off of a quick cut but has very average speed and he's not necessarily always doing work after contact.  That could change as he fills out his frame to 215.

Porter's snapshot highlights above are almost perfectly designed to frame that debate.  It's a recurring point/counterpoint.  Let's walk through 'em together, shall we?  Watch the highlight, form an opinion, then scroll down.

1st play. His first run highlights his best projectable characteristics: the subtle jump cut into immediate acceleration, economy, vision.  It's well blocked for five yards but that cutback made it 50.

2nd play. Well, that's some Katy shit.  If you watched that run and thought to yourself,"What a runner!" I hope his OL and WRs materialize in your living room and trample you to death.  You're the guy who sees Marshall Faulk catch a screen, juke four dudes, run over another, go 80 for the touch and yell,"WHAT A TERRIFIC PASS!"

3rd play. Maybe my favorite run.  Good change of direction, immediate acceleration back against the grain.  The inside feint as he rounds the corner that freezes three defenders is so instinctive.  #57 on the backside is still wondering what the heck just happened.

4th play. That's some Katy shit.

5th play. Beautifully blocked, though his clowning of the late-breaking safety on the 2nd level is appreciated.

6th play. More Katy shit.

Obviously, I watched more than just Porter's highlights.  But those highlights are a nearly perfect summation.  One must wonder how Insert Running Back of Choice would look in that offense, but it's possible that Porter and his system are both very good.  My best guess is this: he is a Katy product with a legitimate skill set very well suited to be the product of another good offense at the college level.