Which NFC West team picks Joey Porter Jr. in latest mock draft from The Draft Wire?
As college football gets underway with some Week 0 games, Penn State is preparing to head to Purdue for a Thursday night matchup against the Boilermakers in Week 1. That also means we start getting deeper into the 2023 NFL draft as the season progresses.
This week, The Draft Wire released a two-round mock draft that highlighted Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to the Seattle Seahawks with the 24th overall pick.
This pick is now Seattle’s from the Denver Broncos after trading away Russell Wilson. Let’s break down this pick and how Porter fits with the Seahawks.
Seattle needs a lot of work on their defense. Well, they need work at just about every position. However, they did draft well this year, headlined by Mississippi State offensive tackle Charles Cross and Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker.
They are building promising pieces around a play-caller who many say is not on this current team. Needless to say, the quarterback position is still in question for the Seahawks.
Heading back to defense, Seattle did draft two corners in UTSA’s Tariq Woolen and Cincinnati’s Coby Bryant. Both players have impressed thus far in training camp and throughout the preseason.
The Seahawks need someone who can be a premiere corner for their defense, and Porter can do just that. He has shown he can be an elite corner and he has all the tangibles to do just that.
Earlier this week, PFF released their preseason big board for the 2023 draft. Porter made the list at No. 74. First, Porter is physical and that is probably one of the most intriguing traits in his game.
In 2021, Porter recorded 40 solo tackles, a forced fumble, an interception and four pass deflections.
His vision is elite and his ability to diagnose plays quickly is something that separates him from some of the corners in this 2023 draft class.
Porter has progressed every year with the Nittany Lions. Despite a team struggle in 2020, Porter still made a big leap from his freshman season, going from just two solo tackles to 25.
As mentioned before, standing at 6-foot-2 and 198 pounds, Porter also has that prototypical size you want in an NFL corner. He can be a wild tackler at times, but those minor fixes with the right coaching.
The depth of Seattle’s cornerback room remains in question for their future. Artie Burns, who is currently slated to start, is only on a one-year deal while Justin Coleman, another projected starter, is also a free agent after next season.
Outside of those players, there is a lot of unproven talent. Jamal Adams, who recently signed an extension, with Seattle, headlines their secondary.
You could argue that the Seahawks haven’t really had a consistently productive cornerback room since Richard Sherman was there. Ever since the break up of the “Legion of Boom”, Seattle has really struggled to find their identity in their secondary.
Adams is a great start, but now they need a productive cornerback who be one of the focal points on their defense. Joey Porter Jr. has the potential to do just that for them.
List
Penn State Top 25 players of 2022: Joey Porter Jr.
Related
Ja'Juan Seider teases what to expect from running game against Purdue
Micah Parsons to have weekly segment on FS1's Undisputed
Several Nittany Lions on Senior Bowl Watchlist
College Wire's preseason Heisman poll, who takes the top spot?
Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion. Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.
