If you have the draft itch already, Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. might scratch it. Or I should say, former Penn State corner Joey Porter Jr.
In a tweet sent out Wednesday evening, Porter declared he was leaving school for the NFL, posting this message.
In part, it says:
“After careful thought, I have decided to forego our bowl game and declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. From one dream to the next, I am excited to continue this next chapter.”
Porter is one of Penn State’s first early entrants after OT Olu Fashanu surprised many by deciding to return to school. Porter is expected to be one of the top corners in the class. Of course, he’ll interest Pittsburgh on multiple levels. Cornerback is one of this team’s needs, lacking a #1-caliber corner on this defense. He’s also the son of former Pittsburgh Steelers’ player and coach Joey Porter, who served on Mike Tomlin’s coaching staff from 2014 to 2018. Tomlin and Porter were close off the field, having sons who played at Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic. Porter Sr. is now an assistant coach in the XFL.
For his career, Porter Jr. recorded 113 tackles at Penn State. Though he had just one career interception, he was regarded as an impressive cover corner who broke up 11 passes this past season for the Nittany Lions. He’s currently the 33rd-ranked player on CBS’ Big Board and the #5 corner.
When it comes to the draft, the Steelers have loved bloodlines so having interest in Porter certainly is logical. Former top picks Cam Heyward, Terrell Edmunds, and Devin Bush are just a few of recent examples of selections whose fathers played in the NFL.
