Pittsburgh Steelers fans everywhere cheered Wednesday as one of the most well-respected draft analysts came out with his first mock draft for 2023. The player he selected in the 17th spot isn't unfamiliar.
Mel Kiper Jr. chose Joey Porter Jr. from Penn State University to be the Steelers' first pick in the upcoming draft.
The Steelers Know Porter Well
Porter is a known commodity in Pittsburgh. His father, Joey Porter Sr., played for the Steelers from 1999-2006 and was part of the team that won Super Bowl XL. The elder Porter was an outside linebacker that had 60 sacks with the Steelers and was selected to the Pro Bowl four times. Porter Sr. returned to Pittsburgh to coach from 2014-2018.
Steelers OLB Joey Porter poses with his children after the Steelers won Super Bowl XL. | David J. Phillips / AP
Porter Jr. is attracting a lot of attention from NFL teams and the media. The younger Porter, who's a cornerback, has impressive physicality. He is long and rangy, able to stretch himself out much further than you would expect. He is strong against the run and is able to shut down large receivers.
"Like father, like son in Pittsburgh? The Steelers drafted linebacker Joey Porter in the third round in 1999, and they have a need for his son in 2023. Porter is an aggressive 6-foot-2 corner who was a three-year starter for the Nittany Lions. He picked off just one pass in his career, but he had 11 pass breakups in 2022, so he gets his hands on the football when it's headed in his direction. The Steelers likely will be hoping one of the top offensive tackles drops to them, and they could also target a defensive tackle."
The Porter family. Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It is still very early in the off-season. The playoffs are still going on, so there is a lot of time before draft decisions are narrowed down, but Porter makes a lot of sense for the Steelers.
The Steelers had some issues at cornerback all year and now Cam Sutton is a free agent. Sutton is due a much larger paycheck and it remains to be seen if he will stay in Pittsburgh, or find those big bucks somewhere else.
Ahkello Witherspoon joined the team last off-season and he was expected to be the number one corner on the team, the player you count on to negate the other team's best wide receiver. However, he has been hurt most of the season and underperformed in the handful of games he was in. The Steelers had to rely heavily on Sutton and Levi Wallace and while they improved as the year went on, it seems likely they won't all return.
That late-season improvement is a bit like putting lipstick on a pig, yes it was better, but no it was not where it needed to be. The Steelers were not getting enough pressure on the QB's, they struggled in pass defense and at times seemed to get lucky. Frankly, they didn't play many strong QB's and when they did, they ripped the secondary apart.
Fans everywhere are excited about having another Porter in black and gold while simultaneously cringing at the thought of the team drafting a cornerback. The Steelers have a long history of drafting cornerback busts. However, the team desperately needs some fresh blood to help Minkah Fitzpatrick out in the secondary.
There is also a new sheriff in town. Kevin Colbert is gone. Omar Khan and Andy Weidl are now at the helm. Besides, have a little faith, the team did draft Sutton in the third round and he has been more successful than anticipated, especially after losing Mike Hilton.
Porter, Jr. fits nicely into the Steelers' defense. There are some concerns regarding his lack of interceptions, however, as Kiper mentioned, he does get his hands on the ball a lot. During his three years at Penn State, he accumulated 113 total tackles, one sack, and one interception, as well as 20 passes defended.
Joey Porter, Jr. Penn State University. Scott Taetsch / Getty Images
He has gotten recognition from his coaches as well as the conference. Porter Jr. was named Second Team All-American, First Team All Big-Ten, Third Team All Big-Ten, and Penn State's Most Valuable Defensive Player for 2022.
The Steelers have a lot of needs this draft and need to ensure they optimize that early first pick. Porter is an intriguing option that fills a need. He also comes with a pedigree and it is no secret that Head Coach Mike Tomlin loves a player with a pedigree.
What do you think of drafting Porter first? What do you think is the Steelers' biggest draft need? Click to comment below.
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