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Joey Porter Jr. NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Penn State CB

BR NFL Scouting Department Contributor I

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - SEPTEMBER 01: Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (9) lines up on defense during a college football game against the Purdue Boilermakers on September 1, 2022 at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

HEIGHT: 6'2"

WEIGHT: 194

HAND: TBD

ARM: TBD

WINGSPAN: TBD


40-YARD DASH: TBD

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: TBD

BROAD: TBD


POSITIVES

— Has very good length and size for the cornerback position.

— Physical player with toughness. Likes to get hands on and control receivers.

— Long strider with good recovery and long speed.

— Has good ball skills. Gets head around to locate the ball and has good timing when breaking up catches.

— Willing tackler who does a good job of getting the ball-carrier on the ground.


NEGATIVES

— Struggles with pad level at times. Can play high, leading to slower transitions.

— Can be too physical with receivers, leading to him being handsy downfield.

— Although aggressive in run support, comes in out of control at times. Has difficulty bending and redirecting when slipping blocks.


NOTES

— Son of 13-year NFL veteran Joey Porter


OVERALL

Joey Porter Jr. is a physical cornerback with ideal length and size. He's an aggressive cover corner who likes to play press and get his hands on receivers to disrupt routes.

Due to his height (6'2"), he can struggle with his pad level at times, which causes him to rise up out of his stance and occasionally lose a step. His elite athleticism gives him the recovery speed to catch up to receivers and the top-end speed to travel with them deep.

When playing the ball, Porter shows good understanding of route timing by getting his head around to locate the ball and shooting his hands to break up passes at the reception point. He tends to get too handsy downfield with receivers, which he'll need to clean up in the NFL.

When playing the run game, Porter does a good job of identifying and reacting to what he sees. He isn't afraid to come up and stick his nose in the mix. Though he has shown to shoot the gap, he has some tightness when bending around blocks. Porter is a good tackler who generally shoots for the legs to wrap and wrestle ball-carriers down to the ground.

Porter is the best cornerback in this draft class. He may not be as polished as some of the other top cornerbacks in previous classes, but with his length and physicality, he's comparable.

Porter will need to clean up his hand usage and placement when in coverage, but his ball skills and awareness will serve him well in the NFL. He will be on the top of the cornerback board for many teams and should only continue to get better.


GRADE: 8.4 (Year 1 Starter/Late Round 1, Round 2)

OVERALL RANK: 8

POSITION RANK: CB1

PRO COMPARISON: Eli Apple


Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings