Ourlads' Profile:
2025 Guide: What Ourlads’ NFL Scouting Services said about DARIEN PORTER:
Iowa State | Hometown: Bettendorf, IA | HT: 6027 | WT: 195 | 40 time: 4.30 | Hand: 0918 | Arm: 3312 | Wing: 8000
One year starter. Honorable mention All-Big 12 in 2024. Older prospect who spent six years at Iowa State. Was a wide receiver and special team player prior to 2022 when he made the switch to corner. Tall and lanky with long arms and a slender frame. Has been primarily an outside zone defender in cover three and variations along with some quarters and hard corner concepts. Some limited press and off-man as well. Smooth pedal with fluid and well-timed transitions to lateral and turn and run. Has the speed to stay in phase on deep vertical routes. Solid agility to match and mirror in pattern read zone concepts. Has zone awareness to read and react to route combinations along with peripheral vision to see the quarterback’s delivery key. Sticks to responsibility without getting distracted by shallow eye candy routes. Sudden plant and drive reacting to route breaks with the ball in the air. Flashes ball skills with ability to get the inside hand to the catch point. Length gives him a catch radius to high point passes from the side or behind. In limited man to man reps has shown the mirror ability necessary to stick route breaks and stay with shifty receivers. This was on display during several Senior Bowl reps. Has the length to wrap tackle but shows some inconsistency gathering and driving through tackles. Can end up hanging on giving up yards after contact. Arm tackles and bad angles have contributed to several missed and broken tackles. Functional strength is lacking as he struggles to take on blocks. He’s a work in progress in press man as his jam lacks punch to consistently disrupt routes. The upside is there and he’s been very good on special teams so should contribute there right away.
2024 Stats: 18 T, 2 TFL, 2 PBU, 2 BK, 3 INT. OSR:1/25. VJ-36, SS-4.04. Draft projection: 1st/2nd round