Andre Porter, a Las Vegas native and Liberty High School graduate, is a sophomore linebacker for UNLV who wears the same number 42 his father, Donnell Porter, wore during his time at UNLV in the early 1990s. Donnell Porter said seeing his son follow a similar path is a full-circle moment and emphasized wanting Andre to build his own legacy while making him proud.
This season, Porter has emerged as a standout on UNLV’s young defense, earning Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week honors after a breakout performance against North Dakota State in Week 6, which included a pick-6, a tackle for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble. He was later named the Bronko Nagurski Trophy National Player of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America.
Porter credited his development to offseason work and his teammates, saying, 'It means a lot especially with the help of my teammates, I couldn’t have been there without the help of my teammates.' He also said he wears number 42 because his father wore it and that one of his biggest goals is to be better than his father and make him proud.
Donnell Porter said he draws on his own experiences at UNLV to guide his son, noting he had to overcome challenges like losing a spot and regaining it, and tries to teach Andre from those lessons while supporting his growth as both a player and a person.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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