It is beginning to look more and more likely that Penn State cornerback [autotag]Joey Poryer Jr.[/autotag] will be a first-round draft pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Just where he lands in the first round remains to be determined and debated, but a fresh post-Super Bowl mock draft from CBS Sports suggests Porter Jr. won’t have to wait too long before getting his call to the NFL.
In a draft that should be heavy on defensive backs, Porter Jr. could be the first of many off the board in the first round. CBS Sports currently predicts Porter Jr. could be heading to the Atlanta Falcons with a top-10 pick. The Falcons own the eighth pick overall in the 2023 NFL draft, and the franchise could strike immediately to add some needed help for the pass defense.
“Joey Porter Jr. is the prototypical big, physical cornerback who looks like he belongs in the NFL,” the CBS Sports mock draft roundup says. “He can sometimes get a little too handsy downfield, but he checks many of the boxes of what teams look for when drafting DBs.”
That sounds like a solid summary of Porter Jr., both positively and negatively. Porter Jr.’s overall upside potential has been driving his draft stock for a while, and he very well could have gone to the NFL in the 2022 NFL draft if he wanted to leave earlier. But it is looking as though Porter Jr. will not regret coming back for another season.
Had Porter Jr. gone to the 2022 NFL draft, there is a chance he would have been a first-round draft pick, but being projected as a top-10 pick now does suggest he made a wise business decision to come back and shine for the Nittany Lions in 2022.
CBS Sports also has Porter Jr. ranked as the 20th-best prospect in the draft pool. Keep in mind, this suggests the Falcons are drafting for need and not necessarily taking the best player available. Porter Jr. is not the only player ranked outside the top 15 projected in the top 10 by the CBS Sports mock draft. CBS Sports has edge rusher Tyree Wilson from Texas Tech going third overall to Arizona despite being the no. 16 player in the draft rankings. Florida quarterback is the 19th-rated player going 10th overall to the Carolina Panthers.
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