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Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. was taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the No. 32 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He was the first player to be selected in the second round of the draft. This is of course a full circle moment as Porter’s father, Joey Porter Sr., was a legendary linebacker with the organization in the 2000’s.
Cornerback Joey Porter Jr had high expectations after all the success his father had in the NFL. Throughout his college career, he looks like he could be an NFL star and better than his father. While their two different positions, Porter Jr. has the skill set to be a star.
Porter spent four years at Penn State and made quite the name for himself. He was All-Big Ten in three years and an All-American in his final season with the Nittany Lions. This past year, 27 tackles, 11 pass breakups, and a fumble recovery. He was guarding the best wide receiver in every game and was having major success.
Joey Porter, Jr: Scouting Report
The biggest strength of Porter’s game is his physicality. His penalties worry some at the next level, but he has a high enough football IQ to know when to have his hands on receivers and when to get them off. He has great a great body for the cornerback position as well with long arms and legs.
His athleticism helps make up for his speed a bit. He’s not slow, but he doesn't have great speed. He will make a big impact defensively from day one wherever he’s drafted. He is great in coverage and loves contact. We saw him take strides throughout his years at Penn State and I would expect to see more of that in the NFL.
Having a dad who was a good NFL player helps with IQ, but you can tell it’s there. He was the leader of that Penn State defense and was vocal. It will not take him long to get comfortable with an NFL defense and will be making game-changing plays in his first year I would imagine.
Mock Draft landing spots
Porter is expected to go in the first round in most mock drafts. Ryan Wilson at CBS and Peter Schrager at NFL.com both have him going to the Lions with the 18th overall pick. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler sees the Steelers grabbing him at No. 17. Peter King at PFT has him dropping to the 26th pick of the first round, where he would land with the Dallas Cowboys.