In a little less than a week’s time, several college prospects will hear their name called at the NFL draft. Luther College prospect Donterrious Porter might not be one of those names. Lack of exposure and questions about his size have NFL scouts questioning Porters transition to the next level.
Donterrious Porter took time out of his off-season schedule to talk with Pro Player Insiders about his path to the NFL, his collegiate career, and his advice to the next generation of NFL players.
Immediately, I had to ask the Luther College prospect about his decision to attend such an unknown program.
“It was a combination of things,” said Porter. “At first, I wanted to be a Division-I player…I wanted to be a Missouri Tiger (after watching former-Missouri QB Brad Smith play) but things didn’t work out. I got letters from Kansas State and Wynona State (a D-III program), and Luther. At first I thought, there’s no way I’m going there. I was going to go to Iowa Central, but after talking to the coach, he convinced me that it didn’t make sense to go to a program to learn for two years and then have to transfer out and learn in a new system with new guys. Plus, Luther let me run track.”
With Porter’s dream of wanting to be a division one athlete, I found it curious that he would turn down an offer from a D-1 program. What he told me next was absolutely shocking.
“I just got the feeling that everything was going to work, I put my faith in God. Just because I could’ve gone to that bigger school, I might have gotten hurt and then I wouldn’t be where I’m at now. I think everything worked out well for me.”
Indeed, it seems that Porter has made the right choice. As it sits, the converted running back and all-conference track star seems to have developed a knack for defending against the pass, and NFL scouts are noticing. He officially took to his new role at the beginning of his junior season, where he flourished. In just two brief years, Porter recorded 80 tackles, 14 passes defended, forced fumbles, and recorded two interceptions.
Porter is a young man that relies on his faith, work ethic, and inner-motivation to succeed in every aspect of life. Having two older brothers motivated him to choose football over other sports like track and baseball.
“Having two older brothers, we would always play football in the backyard. I looked up to my brothers, even though they beat me up a little bit. But I feel that having them toughened me up for football.”
There are currently no NFL athletes from Luther College in the NFL. You would have to go back to the 1930’s to find the last Luther player to crack the pros. With Porter looking to become the first in over 80 years, I asked him what it would mean to put the small-town Iowa College on the map.
Channeling his inner-Russell Wilson, Porter told me, “I would just say that if you believe no matter where you come from if you put the work in and believe in yourself, anything is possible. I’ve always been the underdog and I like that because you have everyone against you. People think you did it because of this or that, but really it’s because you set your mind to it, stayed focused, and did what you needed to do.”
Though optimistic about his abilities, the statistics may not be in his favor. Small-school athletes are typically forced to work harder to get to the NFL. SO I asked Porter if he felt as if he played with a chip on his shoulder.
“I knew if I went to a small school a lot of people wouldn’t believe in me, but I wanted that against me because I knew that I would have to work that much harder. I would definitely say that I have a chip on my shoulder, but I think that every guy in the NFL does. I feel like if I can you can make plays, there is always a spot for you in the NFL.”
NFL scouts have taken a chance on D-III athletes before. However, many have not seen Porter’s talents on the field. In an NFL-type interview scenario, Porter offered up his own evaluation of his talents.
“For kick returns, my team knew the ability I had and every week they wanted me to have the ball in my hands. They thought I would be able to take it to the house every time and I did as well. My track career I feel helped me out in certain aspects of football, in the form of my running technique, explosion, and power. When I was in the open-field, my breakaway speed and explosion helped me in open space. Sometimes my stubbornness can hurt me a bit, but I have learned to put the team over myself. If you’re willing to take a chance on me, I would put everything I had into the process—my heart and soul. I watch film constantly to get better and wouldn’t let anyone bully me around on the field.”
Though concerns about his performance at Luther College may deter some NFL teams, it is worth nothing that several small-school prospects have transitioned very nicely into the NFL. Guys like Jacoby Jones, Danielle Manning, and Adam Vinatieri have all had very fine careers while playing for D-II or lower college programs.
The most notable athlete from this list, Jerry Rice, he made living catching touchdowns. Arguably the best receiver to play in the NFL, Rice first made his name catching passes at Mississippi Valley State. Arguably the best receiver to play in the NFL, Rice first made his name catching passes at Mississippi Valley State. All he did was go on to be selected to 13 Pro Bowls, win three Super Bowls, one Super Bowl MVP, and receive 2 AP Offensive Player of the Year awards all en route to his enshrinement in Canton as a Hall of Famer for holding almost every possible receiving record in the NFL.
While no one will compare Porter’s abilities to that of Jerry Rice, Porter has the necessary skills to be effective at the next level.
One of the major assets that Porter has working for him is his work ethic and character. With all of the immaturity questions surrounding breakout athletes, Porter has a good head on his shoulders. His breakout speed and experience as a former running back also make Porter an ideal candidate to become a return specialist, similarly to the one held by Chicago Bears return-man Devin Hester.
In over 100 career returns, Porter set a school-record with 1,803 return yards; his average is well over 20-yards/attempt. With the battle for field position becoming more and more crucial to NFL teams, a player like Porter can quietly become a difference maker for any team that takes a chance on him.
If there is a knock against Porter, it would have to be his concerning lack of exposure and size. Playing at D-III Luther College, scouts may have concerns about his inability to cover elite receivers. At 5-foot-8, Porter won’t blow teams away with his size, but does have a very capable 34” vertical leap. In his Pro Day workouts at Luther, Porter has improved on his results from last season’s workouts; highlighted by a blazing 4.52 40-yard dash and 17 bench reps. Porter has since said that he will continue to do everything in his power to improve on every aspect of his game to earn a shot with an NFL team.
“I would obviously fill whatever the team needed, but I would prefer to play corner. I like the challenge and I’m the type of guy that wants to guard the best of the best. I might not always win that matchup, but I feel that once I adapt to the style of the NFL—learning different techniques/styles, I could succeed against those guys.”
When he is not working on perfecting his craft, Porter says he is the typical “Gym rat.”
“I train all summer for football, and even when we do get to go on vacations, I make sure that we are staying in a hotel with a gym. That is extremely important to me.”
While Porter continues to grind, it is worth nothing that he is not just working for himself. He has actually taken a few high-school players that come from a similar situation as he did, and is doing everything in his power to help these young student-athletes as well as in his community.
In addition to coaching his former high school football team, Porter is working to start some form of scholarship in honor of his late friends, Aaron Watley and Jeremy Richardson, something he said he promised to himself should he make it to the next level.
Perhaps most notable is his tutelage of one young man, Max Burrow from Temecula, California. “Some people say maybe you should focus on yourself, but I’m the kind of person to put others’ needs ahead of my own. He’s a heck of a football player, and has dreams of playing college football,” Porter said. “I don’t really know his family all that well, but I know that a scholarship would relieve some of the burden on his family. I told him that if I make it to the NFL, I would help him pay for his college.”
The pride of Waterloo, Iowa figures to be one of the small-school candidates just on the cusp of reaching the NFL, and should be an intriguing prospect to watch moving forward. As it stands, Porter is currently projected to be an undrafted free-agent pickup after the NFL Draft. Playing with that chip on his shoulder and with a good cause in mind, Porter is sure to earn himself a training camp invite or two.
Lastly, I asked him if there was any advice he had for the young men who face a tough journey to advance themselves in football or life.
“First of all, put your trust in God. Whatever you want to do, put your whole heart into it…that means sacrifice. For example, if your friends want to go fishing, you have to sacrifice because in the end you don’t live with your friends, you live with yourself. Sometimes it might be easier to go do something else, but there are other times you need to go to work. Sometimes it’s hard to stay on that right path, but you have to work for it.”
