Buccaneers NFL Draft Target: Penn State Cornerback, Joey Porter Jr.

• Joey Porter Jr.
• DOB: 7/26/2000
• Height: 6’ 2”
• Weight: 193 pounds
• Position: Cornerback
• Hometown: Bakersfield, CA
• High School: North Allegheny Senior High School, Wexford, PA
• College: Penn State University

Combine Results:

• Hands: 10”
• Arms: 34”
• Forty: 4.46 seconds
• 10-yard split: 1.50 seconds
• Vertical: 35”
• Broad jump: 10’9”
• Bench press: 17 reps

High School Achievements: Joey Porter Jr. originally attended North Catholic High School in Cranberry Township, Butler County, PA. He then transferred to North Allegheny Senior High School, in Wexford, PA. At North Allegheny, he played cornerback and wide receiver, and was a first team All-State selection in his senior season. He was rated a four-star prospect by 247Sports and chose Penn State after being heavily recruited by many other Power 5 schools.

College Career: As a freshman, Porter Jr. appeared in four games, played 80 snaps, and ultimately made the decision to take a redshirt season. In 2020, he played in eight games, logged 415 snaps, and made 28 tackles. In his redshirt sophomore season, Porter Jr. played in 13 games, totaling 769 snaps, had 46 tackles, and recorded the lone interception of his college career. In 2022, as a redshirt junior, Porter Jr. played in 10 games for a total of 440 snaps. He had 27 tackles, 11 pass break-ups, and was a first team All-Big Ten selection, and second team Associated Press All-American pick.

Strengths:

• Long arms, lean body composition, and very athletic.
• Extremely physical at the line of scrimmage and is able to reroute receivers consistently.
• Is a natural ball hawk, who possess the ability to track the ball, and stay in contact with the receiver on short, or long routes.
• His leaping ability enables him to consistently win high point challenges.
• Has rare mental acuity, and can diagnose plays quickly, and precisely.
• A solid tackler who doesn’t let the opposition break free once he gets his hands on them.
• Shrinks down the catch window and is very competitive when battling in the catch space.

Weaknesses:

• Has difficulty in transitioning and driving out of his backpedal when playing off-man, or zone.
• Struggles to match quick receivers when moving laterally,
• Is too grabby with his hands at the top of downfield routes.
• Needs to bulk up in order to match physicality at the pro level.
• Plays very tall, and is not able to sink his hips, which gets him off balance.
• Committed too many penalties in college and needs to refine his technique to cut penalties down in the NFL.

How he fits in with the Bucs:

Porter Jr. compares favorably to Carlton Davis with his size and skill set. Davis is around 10 pounds heavier, which helps him play the physical style of football that he is known for. Davis and Porter Jr. are both at their best in press man-to-man coverage, and rerouting receivers in cover two. Davis has improved his off-man technique, but still struggles at times with zone responsibilities. I can see the same positives, and negatives, with Joey Porter Jr’s game. I believe Porter Jr. has the ability to progress much quicker than Davis because of the pedigree his shares with his dad, Joey Porter. The elder Porter played 13 seasons in the NFL and has coached for another four. The experience that comes with watching your dad play in the NFL and being around the game for most of your life, is invaluable. I can see the younger Porter having a career as good, or even better, than his dad’s.

Joey Porter Jr. projects as a consensus first round draft pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Most experts think he will be gone before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pick at number 19. But, if he is available, should the Bucs draft him? Let me know your thoughts below!

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images