Size and length. Those are the first things that stood out with rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. coming out of Penn State in the 2023 NFL Draft.
It wasn’t just an eye-test thing, either. Porter measured in at 6024, 193 pounds with 34-inch arms and an 80 7/8-inch wingspan. He fit the new-age mold at cornerback that teams search for: big, long and physical.
So that made it all the more intriguing when the Pittsburgh Steelers snatched him up at No. 32 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft to open the second round of the draft, using the draft pick acquired from the Chicago Bears in the Chase Claypool trade to land the legacy player in Porter.
Since then, he’s come on strong, working his way into the starting lineup in Week Eight, taking on the top matchups weekly and thriving. His performance week after week is something to watch.
Former Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden, appearing on the 93.7 The Fan Cook and Joe Show on Wednesday, compared Porter to a former cornerback from the 90s and early 2000s, and even added a comparison to an insect. No, seriously.
“Oh man, I love, I love JP Jr., his skill set. The first thing I thought about when I saw JP Jr. playing at Penn State, and I shared this with Senior, I said he reminds me a lot of Dale Carter. Dale Carter was a corner from University of Tennessee, played for Kansas City, played throughout the professional league, did some really good things, was extremely lengthy long,” McFadden said, according to audio via 93.7 The Fan. “And the arm length that JP Jr. has makes him so effective in being disruptive at the line of scrimmage. His press technique, he gets his arm…it’s almost like seeing a praying mantis playing cornerback position.
“Extremely long arms; he can reach out and touch you, and he disrupts the timing. And what’s that athleticism that I’m harping on? When you pair that up with the confidence that he has in his ability, we’re seeing successful reps.”
Comparing Porter to a praying mantis playing the cornerback position is certainly an interesting one. Of course, praying mantises are long, and their front limbs are used to catch and grip their prey, so it makes sense. You didn’t think you’d be getting a praying mantis breakdown on Steelers Depot, did you?
Porter’s length is elite of the elite, too. His height is in the 96th percentile at the position, his arm length is in the 98th percentile and his wingspan is in the 97th percentile.
Porter has been catching and gripping his prey, that being opposing NFL receivers, since stepping into the lineup full-time. He’s more than handled his own in one-on-one matchups against the likes of DeAndre Hopkins, Amari Cooper and Ja’Marr Chase in recent weeks.
On the season, Porter has allowed just 14 total receptions on 34 targets for 206 yards and a touchdown. The 41.2% catch rate against him is the second-lowest mark in the NFL among qualified defenders. He’s completely taking away one side of the field more often than not, and he’s thriving.
With his athleticism and overall length, he’s gaining more confidence week after week. He’s becoming the true, lockdown No. 1 cornerback for the Steelers that they were envisioning him becoming. If he can be anything like Carter was in 12 NFL seasons, winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 1992 and earning two All-Pro selections and four Pro Bowl trips, the Steelers will be in great shape with Porter long-term.
