The 2025 Senior Bowl will provide an opportunity for NFL draft prospects to prove themselves on the largest pre-draft stage. Iowa State cornerback Darien Porter plans on taking full advantage. Porter recently spoke exclusively with the Senior Bowl and Draft Network to discuss his motivation for accepting his invitation to compete in Mobile, Alabama.
Porter also discussed what he's striving to prove to NFL general managers and scouts in attendance at the Senior Bowl, his abilities in zone and press-man coverage, how he’d write his own scouting report, and more. Let's get to know Porter better ahead of his journey to the Senior Bowl.
JM: Where were you when you found out about your Senior Bowl invite and what was your initial reaction?
Darien Porter: I was actually at our football facility. Our head of player personnel handed me the Reese’s Senior Bowl invite box. It was an awesome feeling. I know how important the Senior Bowl is to the pre-draft process. I was beyond thrilled to get my invite. I was super excited for the opportunity to showcase my skill set.
JM: What motivated you to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer?
Darien Porter: The best of the best prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft are going to be in attendance. I want to compete with those prospects. I want to prove that I belong in Mobile. I’m ready to showcase my skills and talk and meet with NFL teams. There’s going to be a lot of NFL talent in attendance.
JM: Speaking of, what are you hoping to prove to NFL general managers, coaching staffs, and scouts in attendance in Mobile?
Darien Porter: It’s all about proving that I belong. I wasn’t on any bowl game watchlists to begin the season. I wasn’t the most sought-after prospect at the beginning of the season. I’m getting a lot of traction now, and I want to prove that I deserve it.
JM: How would you describe your overall skill set as a cornerback? You’re a big, long corner. Self-scout yourself for me.
Darien Porter: I obviously use that length and my speed to my advantage. I have a lot of abilities that very few corners are built with. I use my length to make wide receivers uncomfortable. I make life difficult for them at the line of scrimmage and throughout the route.
I try to be as physical as possible by using all of my natural gifts to my advantage.
JM: Because you have that length and size, are you more of a man-coverage cornerback?
Darien Porter: I like man and zone coverage. I don’t necessarily have a preference. I think my length and speed are very useful in all coverage approaches, but my traits certainly help me play in man coverage. You may not see that with other cornerbacks.
JM: You underwent a position change. You came to Iowa State as a receiver. I feel like the light bulb came on for you this season. You had career-highs in interceptions and pass breakups. That ball production, did it start coming as you got more comfortable with the position?
Darien Porter: Absolutely it did. There’s obviously a lot to learn at cornerback. It’s a very technical position. Once I settled in, starting this spring, fall, and throughout the season, like you said, the production really started to show up. It was definitely a comfort thing for me.
JM: Because your trajectory is so unique, if you had to compare yourself to a current NFL cornerback, who would you choose and why? Anyone you enjoy studying and learning from?
Darien Porter: I like Riq Woolen and Pat Surtain II a lot. I think those two come to mind. I like to study them and model my game after them. I definitely want to play the game like they do.
JM: Fun question before we let you go. What’s on Darien Porter’s pre-game playlist?
Darien Porter: There’s a lot of G-Herbo and Gunna. The kind of stuff that makes you want to play a violent brand of football (laughs). I play it pretty cool, but I’m ready to go (laughs). I’m not a rah-rah guy, but I’m ready to f***ing to go at all times, excuse my language (laughs).
JM: You’re good (laughs). At the end of the week, what does a successful Senior Bowl look like for Darien Porter?
Darien Porter: It means I competed at a high level. I want to dominate and highlight my skill set. It all goes back to proving I belong.
