The 2023 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Joey Porter Jr. 2023 NFL Draft Profile.
Joey Porter Jr. Background
Position: Cornerback
School: Penn State
Size: 6-foot-2, 193 pounds
Class: Redshirt Junior
2022 Stats: 27 total tackles, 11 passes defended, 1 fumble recovery
Porter Jr. could have entered the draft in 2022, but returned to school to improve his stock. Now, he is in the 2023 NFL Draft.
As a recruit, Porter Jr. was rated four stars and decided to stay in-state to play for the Nittany Lions. He played in four games, but redshirted his first season on campus. Porter Jr. became a starter as a redshirt freshman and registered 33 total tackles and four passes defended. Penn State struggled that season with a 4-5 record. Porter Jr. showed improvement in 2021 with 50 tackles, four passes defended and an interception. The Nittany Lions also improved that season, as they had a 7-6 record. In 2022, Porter Jr. had 27 total tackles and 11 passes defended. His play led the Nittany Lions to a 11-2 record and a Rose Bowl win.
After opting out of the Rose Bowl, Porter Jr. decided to head to the 2023 NFL Draft. He is a projected first-round pick.
Joey Porter Jr. Strengths
Porter Jr. is great in press coverage. He has the strength and the mentality to jam wide receivers at the line of scrimmage. Porter Jr. can throw them off their routes and win the rep early. There isn’t a player who does a better job of knocking wide receivers off their routes. He plays the position with a linebacker mentality, which he gets from his father, who played in the NFL as well. Whether he is playing zone or man coverage, he should be used to press receivers.
Although it doesn’t show up in the interception column of the stat sheet, Porter Jr. has good ball skills. He is able to track the ball well and also attacks the catch point. This led to 11 passes defended this season. His anticipation and ability to read quarterbacks helps him make plays on the ball. If he can turn some of the passes defended into interceptions, he can really be a game-changer.
He is not afraid to help out in run support as a physical corner. Porter Jr. shows the ability to shed blocks on the perimeter, can contain runs pushing them inside and shows good pursuit of the ball carrier. Once he is in range, he is able to end the play with a good tackle.
Joey Porter Jr. Weaknesses
His physicality does work against him in some cases. Porter Jr. is very grabby in coverage. He got away with some of that at the collegiate level. In the NFL, officials are more alert to contact by defenders. Porter Jr. will need to limit the amount of penalties at the next level.
Porter Jr. doesn’t have the greatest long speed in the class. He can be beaten deep because he is unable to keep up. His 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine of 4.45 will help, but that doesn’t always show up on tape. This may not effect him in a big way at the next level if he keeps on rerouting receivers at the line of scrimmage.
In man-to-man coverage, Porter Jr. can struggle to mirror the routes of receivers. He has tight hips, which makes changing directions tough. Like the issues with the long speed, if he continues to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage in press coverage, this may not end up being a huge issue. If he doesn’t then it will be an issue at the next level.
Projected Draft Range: First-Round Pick
Draft Grade: First-Round Pick
Make sure to check out our NFL Draft page for more content like Joey Porter Jr. 2023 NFL Draft Profile!
You can like The Game Haus on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from great TGH writers!
- SEO Powered Content & PR Distribution. Get Amplified Today.
- Platoblockchain. Web3 Metaverse Intelligence. Knowledge Amplified. Access Here.
- Source: https://thegamehaus.com/nfl-draft/joey-porter-jr-2023-nfl-draft-profile/2023/04/06/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=joey-porter-jr-2023-nfl-draft-profile
