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Is Joey Porter, Jr. a Fit for the Commanders’ Secondary?

Hogs Haven takes a look at 2023 NFL Draft prospects that could contribute to the Commanders

NCAA Football: Auburn at Penn State Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Joey Porter, Jr., CB

School: Penn State | Conference: Big Ten

College Experience: RS Junior | Age: 22

Height / Weight: 6’2” / 193 lbs

Projected Draft Status: 1st Round

Player Comparison: Jaycee Horn

College Statistics

Defense & Fumbles Table
Tackles Def Int Fumbles
Year School Conf Class Pos G Solo Ast Tot Loss Sk Int Yds Avg TD PD FR Yds TD FF
*2019 Penn State Big Ten FR CB 3 2 1 3 0.0 0.0 0 0 0 1 0 0
2020 Penn State Big Ten FR CB 8 24 9 33 2.0 1.0 0 0 0 4 0 0
*2021 Penn State Big Ten SO CB 13 39 11 50 0.0 0.0 1 1 1.0 0 4 0 0
*2022 Penn State Big Ten SR CB 10 21 6 27 0.0 0.0 0 0 0 11 1 0 0 0
Career Penn State 86 27 113 2.0 1.0 1 1 1.0 0 20 1 0 0 0
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 4/25/2023.

Player Overview

The son of Pittsburgh Steeler star linebacker Joey Porter, Joey Porter, Jr. has been working to make a name for himself on the football field. He received varsity letters in not only football, but also track and field. He was a team captain as a senior and received many statewide accolades in Pennsylvania as he led his team to a conference championship. He committed to Penn State over several schools including his father’s alma mater, Colorado State.

Porter Jr. redshirted in 2019 and only appeared in a few games before becoming a significant contributor in 2020. He would start each of the eight games in the shortened season and began earning a reputation as a physical man coverage cornerback. That reputation grew in the following year as he had his most tackles in a season as a Nittany Lion and his sole interception. In his final seasons, teams generally shied away from testing Porter, Jr. When they did, he broke up 11 passes and QBs only had a passer rating of 63.6.

Strengths

  • Tall, long corner with exceptional arm length
  • Fantastic in press with strong punch to disrupt routes
  • Length and speed allows him to successfully play trail technique
  • Good recovery speed if beat initially by receiver; rarely beast deep
  • Willing tackler

Weaknesses

  • High backpedal can make transitions difficult
  • Struggles with quick change of direction, causing him to grab
  • Timing of breaks on the ball inconsistent
  • Lack of ball production is concerning

Let’s see his work

How he fits on the Commanders

The Commanders are in an interesting place at cornerback. They have designated starters on the outside in Kendall Fuller and Benjamin St-Juste, but both have issues that need to be addressed. Fuller is entering a contract year and approaching 30 years old. St-Juste has struggled to stay healthy enough to contribute. It makes sense for the team to upgrade the cornerback position in this draft. Joey Porter, Jr. has elite size to go along with an impressive athletic profile. The question is whether what he does best fits the Commanders’ defense. Washington plays a lot of zone coverage including Cover 3, a scheme with which Porter, Jr. is familiar. However, Porter. Jr. is at his best in press man coverage and unless the Commanders plan to use him that way, I don’t think they would be making the most of his talents. Joey Porter, Jr. can be a good outside cornerback in Washington, but unless the Commanders change some of their coverage schemes, I do not think they will unlock his fullest potential.