Northwestern added a headlining commitment on Saturday as four-star defensive lineman Ashton Porter committed to the Wildcats on CBS Sports HQ. Porter picked Northwestern over a varied list of offers that includes Baylor, Texas, Arizona and Arkansas.
Porter is the top recruit in what has quietly become one of the nation's most underrated recruiting classes. His addition pushes Northwestern into the top three nationally with 18 commitments, including fellow Texan defender Justin Cryer. Northwestern moves past Big Ten foes Ohio State and Penn State in the early rankings.
Listed at 6-foot-3 and 255 pounds, Porter boasts impressive size for a rising senior and has caused havoc in three seasons as a high school player. Porter is rated the No. 292 player in the industry standard 247Sports Composite Rating, including the No. 42 defensive lineman in the class.
Porter broke onto the scene after a dynamic sophomore season where he posted 32 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and four sacks while playing in the highest classification of Texas high school football. He was named a unanimous 16-6A first-team all-district selection after the season.
Pat Fitzgerald has done strong work with Texas recruits during his time at Northwestern. Three Texans started on the Wildcats' defense during its 2020 Big Ten West title run, including star safety Brandon Joseph and middle linebacker Paddy Fisher.
