It did not take long for two key members from the 2022 Penn State defense to leave their respective marks on the NFL. [autotag]Joey Porter Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Ji’Ayir Brown[/autotag], former defensive backfield teammates for the Nittany Lions, each landed on the 2023 All-Rookie Team from the Pro Football Writers of America on Tuesday.
Although Porter Jr. was the no. 32 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, he was actually the first pick in the second round of the draft. The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Porter Jr. and he quickly immersed himself in a key role in the defense/ The three-time All-Big Ten player played four seasons at Penn State and left a year early to follow in his father’s footsteps at the next level. In his first NFL season, Porter had 43 tackles with 10 pass deflections and 1 interception.
Brown was a third-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in the 2023 NFL draft. Brown was a JUCO transfer addition for Penn State in 2020 from Lackawanna College, and he wasted little time becoming one of the top playmaking safeties in the Big Ten. In his first year as a starter in 2021, playing alongside Jaquan Brisker, Brown had six interceptions and went on to be named the defensive MVP of the 2023 Rose Bowl in his final game in a Penn State uniform. Brown had 35 tackles with 4 pass deflections and 2 interceptions in his rookie season for the 49ers.
Brown has a chance to play in the Super Bowl a year after helping Penn State win the Rose Bowl. Brown and the 49ers host the Detroit Lions in this weekend’s NFC Championship Game.
Former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans) was named the PFWA Rookie of the Year and the Offensive Rookie of the Year. Former Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. (Houston Texans) was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year. The Texans also drafted former Penn State offensive lineman [autotag]Juice Scruggs[/autotag], who has been a key part of the offensive line for the Texans this season as well.
You can see the full PFWA 2023 All-Rookie Team here.
Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.