2017 Signing Class Spotlight: Robert Porcher IV, Defensive Line

Robert Porcher IV surprisingly switched to the Hokies after committing to Nebraska. Now, as a member of the Lunch Pail D, the sky is the limit.

Let’s get one thing straight out of the gate: it is pronounced “poor-shay”. You’ll want to learn the name, because you’ll be hearing it a lot over the next few years.

Perhaps lost in the shuffle of the great defensive class the Hokies secured this year, 3-star recruit Robert Porcher IV is a 6’3″ 250 lb force on the defensive line. He dominated in his senior season for the Panthers of Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, FL.

Porcher’s 104 tackles, 40 tackles for loss, and 17 sacks caught the eye of many blue chip schools. Michigan, Michigan State, Auburn, USC, and Georgia all offered him scholarships. The Hokies had to compete with other top ACC schools as well, including Clemson, Florida State, and Louisville.

Porcher’s decommitment from Nebraska in early December was the turning point, however. Assistant coach Galen Scott and defensive line coach Charley Wiles capitalized, giving him a new home in Blacksburg.

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Dominance seems to run in the Porcher family. Robert’s father Robert Porcher III was a feared pass rush specialist in his day, finishing his NFL career with 95.5 sacks. If Porcher IV reaches his potential, he will fill his father’s shoes and then some.

It remains to be seen how Bud Foster will use his Porcher’s nose for the football on his defensive line. Porcher played defensive end in high school, but is being considered as a candidate to try to put on some weight and move to defensive tackle.

If Porcher is to get playing time early in his career, it may necessary for him to change positions. The skill set he displays should transfer well to the inside of the defensive line. His ability to get off blocks and plant the ball carrier in the back field in evident, but his patience to not over-pursue can not be understated.

I expect Porcher to fit right in on the lunch pail defense. It might take a season or two, but he and his fellow 2017 commits have the chance to produce one of the best defenses that Virginia Tech has seen in awhile. And that’s no easy feat.

See Robert Porcher’s highlight film here

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