2023 NFL Combine Profile: Joey Porter Jr., Cornerback
During his time in State College, Joey Porter Jr. had a meteoric rise. His dad, Joey Porter, was a legendary player in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coming from that lineage, expectations were always going to be high. It’s safe to say he exceed all the expectations placed on him in a Nittany Lions uniform, developing into one of the best cornerbacks in the country.
Porter Jr. will be looking to showcase his athleticism at the NFL Combine. He’s a surefire first round draft pick according to multiple experts putting out their mock drafts. Scouts know that he is a physical player, so he’ll be trying to prove that he is an elite level athlete as well.
There is always a possibility that he will limit what drills he does at the combine since he’s already a projected first round draft pick. But here is a look Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. as he gets ready for the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
Overview
Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch
Despite being the son of an NFL legend, Joey Porter Jr. wasn’t courted by many of the top programs in the country. He was a four-star athlete coming out of high school and the 234th ranked prospect in the 2019 class according to 247Sports. Other notable Penn State signees in this class were [autotag]Brandon Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Caedan Wallace[/autotag], [autotag]Adisa Isaac[/autotag], [autotag]Jaquan Brisker[/autotag] and [autotag]Brenton Strange[/autotag].
Porter Jr. was able to see the field early in his Penn State career. His freshman season he appeared in three games but was still able to keep his redshirt. The following season, he was a staple in the Nittany Lions’ secondary. His redshirt sophomore season was when he really started turning heads. In 391 coverage snaps, he was only targeted 55 times all season.
The expectations were high for Porter Jr. in the 2022-23. He needed to be the lockdown cornerback, taking away the opposing team’s number one wide receiver. He only gave up 15 receptions all season on 30 targets during his 275 coverage snaps. He showed scouts that he can take away any receiving option he is lined up against.
Strengths
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The number one strength of Joey Porter Jr. is his physicality. He has strong hands to bump wide receivers off their route at the point of attack. His 6′ 2″ 200 pound frame allows him to matchup against bigger receivers and win the battle. This past season, quarterbacks had a 63.6 passer rating during the rare times they targeted him. He is a coveted press corner who wins his battle when matched up against receivers in man coverage.
NFL front offices and coaches will love to get their hands on a player like Porter Jr. In a much more pass happy league, it’s a luxury to know the first wide receiver option can be taken away by one singular cornerback.
Weaknessess
Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch
So what are the weaknesses for this highly coveted cornerback prospect? The main weakness of Joey Porter Jr. is his lack of agility. Scouts have noted a lack of twitchiness and change of direction quickness. With so many complex route concepts in the NFL, there is a concern Porter Jr. might not be able to stay glued to quicker wide receivers running complex routes. Without being able to get his hands on a player and use his physicality, there is a fear he could be exposed in the open field.
Another question surrounding Porter Jr., are about his ball skills. He only recorded one interception in his college career. Now, it’s hard to intercept a pass when rarely targeted, but there isn’t much proof on tape that he can become a ballhawk if targeted consistently.
Where Porter Jr. sits among draft prospects
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Among other cornerbacks in this draft class, Joey Porter Jr. is ranked anywhere from the second to fourth best prospect. Right now, Illinois corner, [autotag]Devon Witherspoon[/autotag], is the consensus number one player. This is a very strong cornerback class with five players at the position potentially going in the first round.
When there are so many good prospects at a single position, it really comes down to team fit and scheme to find a home for the player. As it stands now, Porter Jr. is a lock to be a first round draft selection. The question is how high he’ll be selected.
Draft outlook
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Barring anything unforeseen, Joey Porter Jr. will be selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He would become the first ever Penn State Nittany Lion defensive back to be selected in the first round of an NFL Draft. It’s clear he possess as skill package that is highly coveted by teams at the next level. The only thing left to be seen is how high he’ll be selected on draft night.
In the last five NFL Drafts, eight Penn State defensive backs have been selected. Jaquan Brisker was selected in the second round by the Chicago Bears in the 2022 draft and had a great rookie season.
In current mock drafts, he mainly finds himself going to teams picking in the teens. Some of those teams include the New England Patriots, Washington Commanders, Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions as potential landing spots.
With a good showing at the combine, Porter Jr. could potentially climb into the top 10. This year’s draft is stacked with top heavy prospects and a deep quarterback class. Because quarterbacks always get over drafted, being a top 10 selection this year would be truly special.
Joey Porter Jr. will already be the first ever Nittany Lion defensive back to be taken in the first round. If he goes top 10, it will cement him as one of the best prospects in Penn State history.
Other Penn State players at the 2023 NFL Combine
