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Steelers NFL Draft Analysis: Joey Porter Jr. is a Steal

The Pittsburgh Steelers shouldn't have been able to land Joey Porter Jr.

Nicholas Martin

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The Pittsburgh Steelers were in the driver's seat going into Day 2 of the NFL Draft as they possessed the number 32 overall pick with two very notable prospects falling into their lap. 

They ultimately elected to go with the hometown connections and bloodlines of Joey Porter Jr. Here's what some respected analysts have to say about the pick:

Dane Brugler: 16th overall, CB 3

"A three-year starter at Penn State, Porter was exclusively an outside cornerback in defensive coordinator Manny Diaz’s man-heavy scheme. Although his college production is underwhelming, he didn’t give up a touchdown in 2022 and allowed only nine catches (on 26 targets) for 70 yards in man coverage. With impressive NFL bloodlines, Porter parks himself in front of receivers and smothers them in press to reroute and disrupt receiver timing up and down the field. However, he plays on his heels, loses momentum in his hip-flip and hangs on receivers to slow their routes, collecting 11 coverage penalties (nine pass interference, two defensive holding) in the past two seasons with several others that should have been called. Overall, Porter has clear bust potential with his undisciplined play style and unbalanced change of direction, but he has intriguing matchup potential in the NFL because of his aggressive length and body quickness. He projects as a classic bump-and-run cornerback and won’t be a slam-dunk fit for every scheme."

Lance Zierlein: 26th overall, CB 4

"Ascending cornerback combining traits and above average play strength that create a clear definition of who he is as a player. He can reroute the release and has the frame to close catch windows against big receivers in press-man or Cover 2 looks. Delayed transitions and sluggish change of direction put him in conflict in off coverages, so teams must pay attention to matchups and scheme in order to avoid a field full of yellow laundry. There is work to be done to improve tackle consistency in the run game, but he finishes tackles after a catch. Porter has scheme limitations, but he also has CB1 potential with more work and if utilized properly."

My Analysis: CB 3, 14th overall

Positives: If you were to design a cornerback in a lab, the result would be; a very tall and proportional build with some room to add to his frame. Pterodactyl-like wingspan that allows him to utterly smother receivers at the line of scrimmage, often controlling them throughout the route, along with being an extraordinary asset in terms of his ability to recover when he gets beat as he’s able to work back into the passing lane.

He has better recovery speed than you’d expect in someone his size, showing the ability to be able to work back into phase when playing from trail technique, along with being able to stick with some of the faster receivers in the league. Smooth hips that allow for smooth transitions and give him the potential to mirror better than he currently can. Better zone eyes than you’d expect, often working from a shuffle technique and showing a good understanding of route distribution and play recognition to be able to jump into the passing lane, showcasing an explosive downhill close. 

He is really good at tackling the catch and shows good technique as he brings his hips and wraps up well. Shows good ability to be able to destroy screens and be a valued asset in the run game. NFL bloodlines help prepare him for the league and what it takes to be a good player.

Negatives: Feet tend to stagnate in coverage, which makes his mirroring skills questionable and would not project well in off man, or quarters scheme when playing from a pedal. Press and length are exceptional, but hand placement can end up wide and receivers who slow play the release tend to make their chest hard to hit, which makes him susceptible to being beat across his face. 

Cut down on penalties, but still has a tendency to grab and not trust his speed consistently which could lead to flags in the league.

Bottom Line: The trigger from off coverage is there, but the feet tend to lag in the mirroring department. He fits best in a press-man scheme and plays from a shuffle early in his career in off-coverage. His length and recovery speed makes his potential extremely high, just has to hone in a few technical aspects of his game.

NFL Comparison: Carlton Davis

Scheme fit: Press Man, cover 2 and cover 3. Do not play him in off man quarters, you will regret it early on.

Grade: A

I tend to be a very harsh grader on draft day, but Pittsburgh is doing everything right so far. They took care of tackle early and had a gift of value in Joey Porter Jr, fall right into their lap with the pick that was acquired from trading Chase Claypool. They addressed their two biggest needs and got an ascending talent in Porter Jr.

While Porter Jr has some things he needs to clean up in terms of his hand placement, which leads to pass interference and speeding up his feet in off-coverage, he will thrive in press man and shows the zone eyes to fit into Pittsburgh's scheme. They are probably going to want to limit how much off-man quarters they play with him early on, but the sky is the limit for Porter. Great start to Day 2 for Pittsburgh.

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Nicholas Martin
NICHOLAS MARTIN

Nicholas has been watching the Steelers his entire life. He has been writing about the Steelers since 2016. Prior to All Steelers, he contributed over at Behind The Steel Curtain.

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