Tag: Joey Porter Jr.

Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. proves shutdown potential vs. Purdue

Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. already looks the part of a shutdown NFL corner

Just like his dad, Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is destined for big things in the NFL.

Heading into the 2022 college football season, Porter was among the top corner prospects in the 2023 NFL draft class. His performance in Thursday night’s epic 35-31 road win over Purdue proved he’s taking the next step in his development.

Porter forced six incompletions against the Boilermakers, showing off the shutdown capabilities he’ll bring to the next level.

Already projected by many as a potential first-round pick in next year’s draft, Porter will be angling for the CB1 spot in most rankings if he keeps playing at such a high level this season.

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Social media reacts to Joey Porter Jr.’s near INT vs Purdue

Social media reacts to Joey Porter Jr.’s near interception against Purdue

Coming into the 2022 Penn State football season, the general consensus has been that cornerback [autotag]Joey Porter Jr.[/autotag] is the team’s top NFL draft prospect in 2023. And in the first quarter of the season opener at Purdue, Porter Jr. nearly came up with a big interception that very likely could have turned into a Penn State touchdown. Unfortunately, Porter Jr. couldn’t quite complete the catch after reading the pass from Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell perfectly, and Purdue wide receiver TJ Sheffield got his hands on the ball for a big catch.

Porter Jr. may have been caught thinking about the end zone before being able to complete the interception, but there was no time to waste dwelling on the moment. Purdue took advantage of the second opportunity to put the first points on the board later on the continuing drive, although the defense held the Boilermakers to just a field goal.

But this being the sport of college football and consumed by the masses on social media led to many quick reactions about Porter Jr.’s NFL potential after not being able to complete the interception. But perhaps the early going in the game were an indication that Purdue is not intimidated by Porter Jr. as well?

Here si a quick glance at some of the social media buzz reacting to Porter Jr.’s near interception.

Surprise! A new Penn State name earns first-round mock draft status

Find out which Penn State defensive star is getting some first-round consideration in a brand new mock draft.

It’s week one of college football and we are continuing to see 2023 NFL mock drafts. We have seen a few of [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag], but the majority of them have featured [autotag]Joey Porter Jr.[/autotag] in the first round.

This week, we have a new Nittany Lion in the first round headed to the Seattle Seahawks with the 24th overall pick. That pick is coming from the Denver Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade. Who might that player be?

That player is Penn State edge rusher Adisa Isaac in a new mock draft from Sports Illustrated.

The 24th pick to Seattle should be familiar to many. That’s because last week we highlighted Joey Porter Jr. to Seattle with the 24th overall pick.

First, let’s break down Isaac as a player. The upside is certainly there, but there is a lot of potential that Penn State may have not unlocked yet. But that could very well be the season where he takes that drastic leap. In terms of the team, this is a total Seattle pick.

Isaac does make sense to Seattle, but one could argue that there are better players at that position out there that Seattle could target like Georgia’s Nolan Smith or Iowa State’s Will McDonald IV.

Does Isaac have the talent to pop off this season? Absolutely. Nittany Lions without both Arnold Ebiketie and Jesse Luketa, as both departed for the NFL. As mentioned earlier, Seattle needs a lot of help on the defensive side of the ball. So a pass rusher would make a lot of sense for them.

As a player, Isaac is both athletic and physical. Something that stood out to Ebiketie’s game was that he had impressive bend off the edge. That is something that Isaac does well with too.

In terms of Seattle’s edge rusher room, they’re not very deep. They did trade for veteran edge rusher Shelby Harris, which will certainly help them. But outside of that, there are quite a bit of question marks. They took LJ Collier in the first round in 2019. He hasn’t really shown enough to be that reliable pass rusher. There were rumors last year that he could’ve even been a trade piece.

So, pass rush would be a perfect position for Seattle to go after. Really anything on their defense. Isaac is an interesting pick.

With both Luketa and Ebiketie gone, this is a perfect opportunity for Isaac to really make that jump in production in 2022.

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Nittany Lions Wire preseason predictions: Penn State’s defensive MVP

Our staff predictions for 2022 highlight our preseason MVP picks for Penn State’s offense.

Penn State is looking to have another strong season on defense this season, and our staff at Nittany Lions Wire sees another good outing from the secondary. The defensive secondary was arguably the best unit on the entire roster in 2021, and 2022 looks to be following up quite admirably with the players coming back.

Our staff focused on the secondary’s leading stars when it came to putting our picks for defensive MVP on the books. And, perhaps, this was an easy pick to make given Joey Porter Jr. and Ji’Ayir Brown are each returning this season. Not surprisingly, these two were at the top of the list for our defensive MVP predictions for the Nittany Lions in 2022.

Of course, it should be mentioned Penn State has some key players at other positions, including PJ Mustipher on the defensive line. But given the way the game is played today and how important the passing game is for offenses in the sport, having some big-time playmakers in the secondary could be immensely valuable.

Here are our picks for Penn State’s defensive MVP this season. For our offensive MVP picks, click here.

Defensive MVP

Sam Dehring, Contributor
@sam_dehring68

Prediction: Ji’Ayir Brown, safety

Now the easy one here would be Joey Porter Jr., rightfully so. However, I’m going with Ji’Ayir Brown here. He has an immense opportunity to raise his draft stock, very likely into being a potential second-round pick. He made an impressive leap in 2021.

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Andrew Harbaugh, Contributor
@MandrewNFL

Prediction: Ji’Ayir Brown, safety

New defensive coordinator Manny Diaz has raved about Brown all offseason, I have every bit to believe that he can make a difference from day one. Diaz always gameplans his safeties to be playmakers so expect a big breakout from Ji’Ayir Brown this year in my opinion.

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Kevin McGuire, Editor
@KevinOnCFB

Prediction: Joey Porter Jr., cornerback

I’ll take the easy layup here and go with the best defensive player on the roster. Joey Porter Jr. returning to the defense is a big win for the Nittany Lions this fall, and I think he will make some key plays against some of the best receivers Penn State will face this season. Ji’Ayir Brown may have more interceptions, but I think Porter’s impact will be tough to match overall.

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Which NFC West team picks Joey Porter Jr. in latest mock draft from The Draft Wire?

Joey Porter Jr. heading to the NFC West? That’s what The Draft Wire is projecting in its latest mock draft.

As college football gets underway with some Week 0 games, Penn State is preparing to head to Purdue for a Thursday night matchup against the Boilermakers in Week 1. That also means we start getting deeper into the 2023 NFL draft as the season progresses.

This week, The Draft Wire released a two-round mock draft that highlighted Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to the Seattle Seahawks with the 24th overall pick.

This pick is now Seattle’s from the Denver Broncos after trading away Russell Wilson. Let’s break down this pick and how Porter fits with the Seahawks.

Seattle needs a lot of work on their defense. Well, they need work at just about every position. However, they did draft well this year, headlined by Mississippi State offensive tackle Charles Cross and Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker.

They are building promising pieces around a play-caller who many say is not on this current team. Needless to say, the quarterback position is still in question for the Seahawks.

Heading back to defense, Seattle did draft two corners in UTSA’s Tariq Woolen and Cincinnati’s Coby Bryant. Both players have impressed thus far in training camp and throughout the preseason.

The Seahawks need someone who can be a premiere corner for their defense, and Porter can do just that. He has shown he can be an elite corner and he has all the tangibles to do just that.

Earlier this week, PFF released their preseason big board for the 2023 draft. Porter made the list at No. 74. First, Porter is physical and that is probably one of the most intriguing traits in his game.

In 2021, Porter recorded 40 solo tackles, a forced fumble, an interception and four pass deflections.

His vision is elite and his ability to diagnose plays quickly is something that separates him from some of the corners in this 2023 draft class.

Porter has progressed every year with the Nittany Lions. Despite a team struggle in 2020, Porter still made a big leap from his freshman season, going from just two solo tackles to 25.

As mentioned before, standing at 6-foot-2 and 198 pounds, Porter also has that prototypical size you want in an NFL corner. He can be a wild tackler at times, but those minor fixes with the right coaching.

The depth of Seattle’s cornerback room remains in question for their future. Artie Burns, who is currently slated to start, is only on a one-year deal while Justin Coleman, another projected starter, is also a free agent after next season.

Outside of those players, there is a lot of unproven talent. Jamal Adams, who recently signed an extension, with Seattle, headlines their secondary.

You could argue that the Seahawks haven’t really had a consistently productive cornerback room since Richard Sherman was there. Ever since the break up of the “Legion of Boom”, Seattle has really struggled to find their identity in their secondary.

Adams is a great start, but now they need a productive cornerback who be one of the focal points on their defense. Joey Porter Jr. has the potential to do just that for them.

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Two Nittany Lions make The Draft Network’s Top 100

The Draft Network’s top 100 players included a pair of Penn State players.

College football is officially back this week and with that, the talk of the NFL draft also heats up. [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and his staff have had 40 Nittany Lions go from State College to the NFL. This year there are bound to be more but two are sticking out to The Draft Network as top 100 players.

One is someone we have seen a lot in mock drafts lately, [autotag]Joey Porter Jr.[/autotag] The son of former Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro Joey Porter, he has quietly carved out a very solid career at State College. Now as he approaches the NFL, teams, and scouts are noticing the range he plays with and the overall size he has. In their initial rankings, Porter Jr. came in ranked at 61 overall.

Kyle Crabbs of the The Draft Network filled out the site’s scouting report on Porter Jr. He had the following to say on the cornerback “Joey Porter Jr. might be the longest cornerback in the country. He’s got incredible reach and influence inside the contact window and at the line of scrimmage. For someone who is still so inexperienced at the college level, it is exciting to think about what additional untapped potential awaits…”

Only one other player was able to make The Draft Network’s top 100 and he actually came in higher than Porter Jr. did. [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag], the team’s third-year receiver, comes into the new season ranked 31st on the overall big board.

Washington has a smaller frame uses his quick twitch ability and strength to overpower defenders when running routes. With the departure of Jahan Dotson to the NFL this past April, Washington now seems set to take over and lead the Nittany Lion passing attack.

Like the Joey Porter Jr. report, Kyle Crabbs also authored the Parker Washington report for the scouting website. Crabbs, when discussing Washington, highlights “He has ball skills that are well developed beyond his years and pairs that with slippery mobility, strong acceleration, and a creative running style with and without the football. The foundation is laid for Washington to develop his game and enter into the first-round conversation…”

More Nittany Lions may crack the site’s top 100 as the season goes, and eventually the site will have over 300 reports. When that time comes we will be sure to drop the links to them all here so you can follow the development of the draft-eligible Nittany Lions.

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Joey Porter Jr. headed to NFC East in latest Sports Illustrated mock draft

See where Joey Porter Jr. is heading in this Sports Illustrated mock draft

The 2022 college football season is just a few weeks away, and we have slowly started to see some mock drafts being released.

The most recent one was one made by The Draft Wire, which had Penn State cornerback [autotag]Joey Porter Jr.[/autotag] headed to the Detroit Lions with the 29th overall pick.

For this next one, NFL Draft Bible, a Sports Illustrated affiliate, released a 2023 NFL mock draft on Monday. In it, they also highlighted Porter, but to the Philadelphia Eagles with the 19th overall pick.

From the perspective of the Eagles’ secondary compared to the Lions, theirs isn’t as struggling as the Lions, but they could certainly use the depth.

You could also make the argument that the Eagles could go a different route with this pick. Perhaps an offensive lineman to protect Jalen Hurts and build more youth on that front five. Or, dare I say quarterback — Will Levis. If you’re talking about day two players, there are certainly options — NC State’s Devin Leary, West Virginia’s JT Daniels.

Let’s stay on track here though and go back to Porter being an Eagle. The last Penn State player selected this early was running back Miles Sanders.

In terms of long-term, this pick makes plenty of sense. James Bradbury is only one a one-year deal and Darius Slay is a free agent in 2024.

If there is any 2023 Penn State draft prospect that has the talent to be selected in the first round, it’s Porter.

Porter has developed into an extremely reliable corner for the Nittany Lions. His progression every year he’s been there has been nothing short of impressive. His biggest leap came in 2021, where he recorded 51 total tackles, a forced fumble and an interception.

If you differentiate Porter and Tariq Castro-Fields, what separates them apart is that Porter plays more physical and aggressive.

Another trait that stands out for Porter is his ability to adapt to various coverages. There have been times where he did line up in zone coverage and the way he adjusted to it was extremely impressive.

With the Eagles, Porter will have to line up against guys like potentially Terry McLaurin and even a little rivalry with his former teammate in Jahan Dotson. Other notable names in that division include Ceedee Lamb.

Porter certainly has the talent to cover those receivers. Sure, it might take some time for him to do so efficiently. However, Porter would get to practice with both AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, which will really help with his development.

Outside of Slay and Bradbury, the Eagles don’t really have guys in their cornerback room with a lot of starting experience. They did draft LSU corner Kary Vincent Jr. in the seventh round of the 2021 draft. They have a room full of potential.

If Porter were selected in the first round, there would be a few teams that he would fit with. The Eagles at 19 does make a lot of sense in terms of their future in their cornerback room, with both Slay and Bradbury being free agents in the next two years.

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What Big Ten players made Todd McShay’s preseason big board?

Todd McShay’s top 50 on his big board for 2023 has been released. Here is every Big Ten player included.

The NFL Draft is a year-round process, for both NFL teams and college teams it is always on everyone’s mind. The Big Ten this year is looking to be on the front lines of that discussion once again.

Whether it is through the quarterback positions, trench players, or a splash of defensive players, the conference is once again loaded with talent.

Now, Todd McShay of ESPN and Scout’s Inc. has released his preseason top 50 player big board. Penn State has one player who is ranked inside the top 25, and McShay appears to be having one of the highest opinions on him.

Outside of Penn State being featured on the list of players, a total of five Big Ten schools are featured in his top 50 players. Here is a rundown of every Big Ten player cracking McShay’s top 50 at the moment. Be sure to take a peek at their ranking as well.

Where does Joey Porter Jr. land in latest Draft Wire mock draft?

See where Joey Porter Jr. sits in the latest mock draft form The Draft Wire.

As we are just under a month away from the college football season, we also highlight some of the notable draft prospects that will headline Penn State’s 2023 draft class.

The Draft Wire has one notable name headed to the Detroit Lions with the 29th overall pick in their latest mock draft. Who might that name be? That player would be Penn State corner Joey Porter Jr.

This pick would make plenty of sense for Detroit, who has struggled to find their identity in their entire secondary.

The last Big Ten corner the Lions selected was Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah, who has struggled to make a name for himself in the Lions’ cornerback room.

Porter comes from an athletic background, with his dad, Joey Porter, being a former NFL linebacker. Porter Jr. is certainly near the top of the 2023 cornerback class, as he has all the tangibles to be a productive NFL starter.

One trait of his that stands out is his physicality. James Franklin has always done a terrific job with recruiting players that physical in their cornerback room along with a high motor, and that is exactly what Porter Jr. brings to the table.

Porter Jr. is also a very efficient tackler. On3 gave him a 71.8 tackler grade and a 70.1 in coverage. Porter Jr. gave up just 370 yards and two touchdowns in zone coverage.

The Lions are in desperate need of a corner that can help them get over their struggling hump. They spent a few years with former Falcons corner Desmond Trufant, who didn’t pan out too much for them. Their current starting corners are Okudah and former Penn State corner Amani Oruwariye, who showed plenty of flashes during the 2021 season.

In their final secondary grades from last season, PFF ranked the Lions near the bottom of the league at 30. Okudah will be coming off of a ruptures Achilles he suffered in week 1. They also had to move players around in their secondary, like Will Harris from safety to an outside corner.

There are three teams that have been getting quite the hype this offseason, and the Lions are one of them. The Lions have drafted solid over the last two years, headlined by taking Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson with the second over pick this year.

The Lions continue their rebuild led by Dan Campbell, a head coach that has become so easy to root for. It is very likely the Lions will not be taking last in their division.

One might think of the Chicago Bears, who not only have a new head coach in former Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, but also a new GM in Ryan Pole from the Chiefs front office.

Porter Jr. joins the list of talented corners in this upcoming draft class, headlined by Georgia’s Keele Ringo.

There has never been a Penn State corner selected in the first round. If he pulls it off, which it is definitely possible, Porter Jr. would be the first one to do so.

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WATCH: All Penn State media day live stream interviews

Penn State posted a bunch of its football media day interviews. Watch them all right here.

Penn State’s football media day on Saturday included press conference interviews with head coach James Franklin, offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, and defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. But a number of players were made available to the media as well for some Q&A of their own on the field of Beaver Stadium.

A handful of notable players also took a few minutes to sit down and answer some questions in a one-on-one setting for a live stream broadcast from Penn State’s official account. Thankfully, for those who were unable to catch the live stream coverage, Penn State posted a number of the video interviews on the YouTube page.