Getty One of the draft's top cornerback prospects had a message for Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers on March 2.
Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. has been a very popular choice for the Pittsburgh Steelers in NFL mock drafts. As it turns out, Porter wouldn’t mind seeing those predictions come to fruition.
“It would mean a lot for me and my family,” Porter said to the media on March 2 when asked about the possibility of the Steelers drafting him. “I’ve been in the Pittsburgh area for a little bit now, so staying at home would mean a lot.”
Porter is widely regarded as one of the top cornerbacks set to be available in the 2023 NFL draft. Cornerback is one of Pittsburgh’s biggest offseason needs.
The consensus draft rankings from ESPN and The Athletic both rated Porter as the No. 1 cornerback. The experts at Pro Football Focus also consider Porter a top 25 player and the No. 3 cornerback in the class.
How Joey Porter Jr. is an Ideal Fit for the Steelers
The Steelers drafting quarterback Kenny Pickett was a picture perfect story for Pittsburgh last year. But the franchise could top that with Porter.
Like Pickett, Porter played college football locally at Penn State and would fill the team’s biggest need of the offseason. Porter is also the son of former Steelers fan-favorite Joey Porter Sr.
Porter Sr. recorded 60 sacks and won a Super Bowl in seven seasons with the Steelers. He made first-team All-Pro in 2002 and earned three Pro Bowl bids while in Pittsburgh. Porter Sr. also coached Steelers linebackers from 2014-18.
That tenure with the Steelers gave Porter Jr. a unique experience growing up.
“I remember when I was a kid, I did one-on-ones with [Antonio Brown], and that was a nice treat,” Porter told the media at the NFL combine. “I know he wasn’t going 100%, but just to go line up against him was special.”
Pittsburgh’s pass defense improved during the second half of the season, but the team still only finished 20th in passing yards allowed. The Steelers were also tied for the second-most passing touchdowns yielded.
Mike Tomlin’s defense could also lose top cornerback Cam Sutton in free agency.
Even if Sutton returns, the Steelers could use an influx of young talent at cornerback. Should Sutton depart in free agency, the position will likely be an even bigger need for Pittsburgh in the draft.
Will Porter Be Available at No. 17?
The biggest obstacle to Porter becoming a member of the Steelers is likely whether he will still be on the board at No. 17.
The latest draft rankings from ESPN and The Athletic rated Porter a top 15 player in the class. The Steelers currently hold the No. 17 pick.
The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner slotted Porter as the No. 10 choice in his newest NFL mock draft.
However, not every mock draft expert is convinced Porter will be gone before No. 17. ESPN’s Mel Kiper predicted the Steelers to draft the Penn State cornerback in his mock draft on February 28.
CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso projected Porter to nearly last the entire first round. Trapasso had the Cincinnati Bengals picking Porter at No. 28. In that mock draft, the Steelers selected defensive tackle Jalen Carter instead of Porter.
Carter may be the one exception if he somehow lasts until the Steelers’ choice. But NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah strongly argued that if Porter, or any of the top cornerbacks in the class, is still on the board at No. 17, “it’d be easy to run the card up for the Steelers.”
Porter posted 20 pass defenses and 1 interception during his four-year career at Penn State. He also had 113 total tackles, 1 sack and 1 fumble recovery.