We are just under a month away from the 2023 NFL Draft, and there are plenty of prospects to keep on your radar from Penn State football.
We have seen several mock drafts with Nittany Lions featured in first-round mock drafts. One of those Penn State players is cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
Porter Jr. has been mocked to several teams around the league. Two of the popular teams seem to be the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Detroit Lions.
However, in a recent mock draft from CBS Sports, Porter Jr. is being mocked to the New England Patriots with the 14th overall pick.
Let’s break down how Porter Jr. fits with the Patriots.
First, Devin McCourty retired this offseason, and the Patriots are going to need a true number-one corner for their secondary.
Speaking of that, if you want to talk about a true number-one cornerback prospect in this year’s draft, you could certainly make a case for Porter Jr. being at the top of that list. When you talk about a general cornerback prospect, Georgia’s Kelee Ringo comes to mind. But, what will his primary position be at the next level?
Going back to Porter Jr., the Patriots need a true number-one cornerback in their secondary room.
They did re-sign Jonathan Jones for another two years. However, outside of him, the Patriots don’t really have a player that can be a focal point in their secondary room.
We say this all the time about Porter Jr., but that’s because it’s fairly easy to see. He is everything you want in an NFL corner. He brings the combination of size, speed, and athleticism to the table, traits that would be crucial to have on the Patriots’ defense.
It’s also worth noting that the Patriots will also be bringing back another name in their secondary room. That is safety Jabrill Peppers. The Patriots brought him back on a two-year contract.
The Patriots also have cornerback Jalen Mills, who they brought back on a restructured contract. So, the depth in the Patriots’ cornerback room is certainly there. But there is a bit of a question mark as to who their true number-one cornerback is.
If the Patriots were to draft a corner early in this year’s draft, Joey Porter Jr. would make plenty of sense for them, as he would be an immediate boost to a Patriots secondary room that is in need of a true number one corner.
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