Rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. will have a lot of mentors as he transitions to playing in the NFL. Not only is his father and namesake a former NFL player, but also in the defensive back room he has players like Patrick Peterson and Minkah Fitzpatrick, who are both smart and veteran players, to help guide him.
Today was the first day of OTAs and Porter told reporters how much of a help Fitzpatrick can be.
“Minkah, he’s something else ’cause he’s not an outlandish person, he’s not going to be the most vocal, but he’s going to pull you to the side and be like, ‘This what you need to work on, or you can do X, Y, and Z to get better with this,'” Porter said via Steelers Live. “So he’s really understanding of the growth that we got to do as young players.”
Fitzpatrick is not only a superstar safety but is also a known film buff who has a really good knowledge of the game, which he can share with younger players. Porter will clearly benefit not only by having a safety behind him who knows the game really well but also in the film room and practice.
Porter will certainly have his struggles in the NFL, but having smart players who are good teachers in his corner will help him in both the short and longterm. By having a player like Fitzpatrick, who will sometimes even change the defensive play call if he sees something, Porter will be able to be one step ahead on defense because of the knowledge Fitzpatrick will be relaying throughout the game. As a rookie, the game moves so fast, so to have someone who is like a second coach in the defensive backfield is invaluable.
Fitzpatrick is also a hard worker something, which should rub off on Porter. Vocal leaders are important but so are leaders who lead by example, and Fitzpatrick certainly does that. When a player who is an All-Pro is working his tail off every day that is going to inspire others to follow suit. It also helps that Fitzpatrick is so knowledgeable and open in sharing what he sees.
The past decade Pittsburgh has had a tough time drafting defensive backs, but with the talent and leaders the Steelers have in the defensive backfield now, it may be easier for Porter to become an elite cornerback.
