As bowl season gets underway, Penn State is just two short weeks away from their Rose Bowl matchup against Utah. They did have two key players opt out to prepare for the draft, including Parker Washington and Joey Porter Jr.
As we near draft season, we have seen several mocks out there from various outlets, many that feature Nittany Lions prospects.
The latest mock draft from The Draft Network has Joey Porter Jr. headed to the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 14th overall pick in the draft.
Let’s break this one down.
It really does seem like the Steelers have struggled to find their identity in their cornerback room over the years. Porter Jr. would be a perfect fit for the Steelers.
If you want to talk about one of those match-made-in-heaven landing spots, Porter Jr. to Pittsburgh is one of them.
The Steelers are slim at the cornerback position. It’s also worth noting that both Levi Wallace and Cameron Sutton are set to become unrestricted free agents in 2023. It wouldn’t be too surprising to see the Steelers try to retain at least one of them. However, they still need help desperately at the cornerback position.
That is where Porter Jr. comes in. He would give the Steelers not only an identity in their cornerback room, but another focal point on their defense.
His combination of length and physicality are traits that teams like the Steelers will fall in love with.
The Steelers are giving up an average of 238.8 passing yards per game, on top of giving up 21.1 points per game.
They need a game-changing player that can really put their cornerback room in a positive trajectory.
Porter Jr. can be that game-changing player for the Steelers, and here are some reasons why.
One of the crucial traits of an NFL corner is hip mobility. Porter Jr. checks that off the list quite easily. Porter Jr.’s footwork also plays a part in that because of his ability to react and adjust in various coverages due to his quickness.
Porter Jr. has taken impressive leaps every year with Penn State. He finished this season with 27 total tackles, a forced fumble and a career high eight pass deflections.
With his substantial progression throughout the years at Penn State, it is very possible Porter Jr. is a top 15 overall selection in the draft this spring.
We have also seen teams trade up for corners. In fact, we just saw one this year. The Kansas City Chiefs traded up for Washington’s Trent McDuffie.
If the Steelers are able to land Porter Jr. this spring, that would be a massive addition to their defense.
From his speed, to his physicality, to his athleticism, he is everything you want in an NFL corner and teams like the Steelers will fall in love with him with his ability to play at a high level.
Will he land in Pittsburgh, where is father, Joey Porter, played his first eight seasons for as an outside linebacker? That would be a massive edition for the Steelers if it does happen.
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