Depth chart: Which Nittany Lion could be a 2023 first round pick at cornerback?

Penn State has one of the highest-upside cornerbacks in the country returning for the 2022 season, leading the way for a room with plenty of potential. The Nittany Lions lost Tariq Castro-Fields to the 2022 NFL Draft but still return major contributors at the team’s three starting spots.

Those starters — to go with veteran depth — should lead to good coverage on the outside this year.

Let’s take a look at how Penn State’s cornerback depth chart could shake out to start the season.

Projected starters: Redshirt juniors Joey Porter Jr. and Daequan Hardy, sophomore Kalen King

The team’s starters are where most of the upside lies, with the chance to have two No. 1-type cornerbacks on the outside and a high level veteran in the slot when the team moves to nickel packages. The Nittany Lions have good size on the outside and the perfect skillset in the slot.

Porter has excellent size at 6-foot-2, 198 pounds and uses it all when he’s in man coverage. He’s an excellent athlete who can turn and run with faster receivers, but has shown enough refinement to stick with technicians who use their route running to create space in the middle of the field. The redshirt junior can essentially match up with any receiver in the country and give them a difficult time, but he isn’t without flaws.

He’s a physical cornerback, which helps against stronger opponents, but it doesn’t always work in his favor. Porter can get too aggressive with his hands in coverage, getting too many pass interference and holding calls against him. That will be the primary point of improvement for him this season as he looks to take the next step in his progression.

King is the other likely starter on the outside and showed why he’s ready for such a role early on in his freshman season. The cornerback was the star of his first spring practice and carried it into strong play his freshman year.

He’s a physically mature player for only being a sophomore, measuring in at 5-foot-11, 188 pounds. His size allows him to play with physical receivers but it’s his technique that separates him at cornerback. King plays like a veteran, knowing exactly how his opponents are trying to beat him and staying one step ahead with his high level football IQ. His ability to play the ball in the air should allow him to be a No. 1 cornerback when Porter departs for the NFL — if not sooner.

Hardy is unlikely to get many reps on the outside, but it would be a surprise to see anyone surpass him in the slot. He’s undersized for outside receivers at 5-foot-9 and 175 pounds, but plays with physicality despite his lack of size. Hardy is a strong tackler for the position but more importantly can drop down closer to the line of scrimmage and can blitz from the slot.

His coverage skills are strong, with his quickness allowing him to battle with slot receivers and stay in position to make a play on the ball. Hardy will likely never be the most heralded player on Penn State’s defense, but he’s an integral part to what should be a strong unit in 2022.

Key backups: Juniors Marquis Wilson and Johnny Dixon, redshirt freshman Jeffrey Davis Jr.

While Penn State’s backups may not have the same upside as the starters, they are a quality trio who could step in as starters in a pinch. The depth beyond the initial three backups is an issue but the Nittany Lions will have other issues to worry about if they need to dip down to the seventh best cornerback on the roster to get serious playing time.

Wilson is the player with the best chance to crack the starting rotation, but he’s been moved back and forth between offense and defense over the last year. Now that he’s listed exclusively at cornerback, he’ll have a chance to make an impact with his ball skills. The junior isn’t as technically sound as some of his teammates, but he has the instincts to lead the team in interceptions this year.

His knack for the ball also means he takes some risks to make a play on it, compromising the defense on occasion. Wilson could have a big impact in either direction — positive or negative — this season for Penn State.

Dixon is a quality rotational piece at cornerback who can step up and start in a pinch if necessary. He has good length and uses it to break up passes as the point of the catch, while having a good feel for locating the ball when it is in the air. The junior is thin at 6 feet, 180 pounds but has the physicality to make up for his slimmer frame.

He is never going to be an excellent tackler at his size, but will compete and that matters at cornerback. Dixon has enough athleticism to be a solid option on the outside if he’s called upon to play more consistently.

Davis is the biggest wildcard of the group. He took a redshirt year during 2021 and didn’t see the field, but has the athletic profile to be a versatile corner. It will be important for him to continue adding strength and refinement to his technique in order to see the field for the Nittany Lions.

Despite that, his potential ability to play in the slot could allow him to crack the rotation even if he doesn’t get much bigger than his listed 6 feet, 180 pounds.

Freshman to watch: Cam Miller

Miller has excellent upside at cornerback down the road for Penn State and even has a chance to play some as a true freshman. He’s a good athlete who can change direction to stay with wide receivers with ease, while also showing enough ball skills at the high school level to be a potential playmaker at corner down the road.

He’s adept at breaking up passes and knowing where and when the ball is coming before the receivers do, giving him a leg up on most young corners. Those skills will need to translate to the college level, where the competition will be significantly higher, but there’s more than enough reason to believe Miller can start at Penn State in the future.

This story was originally published July 14, 2022 at 11:30 AM.

Jon Sauber

Centre Daily Times

(814) 231-6461

Jon Sauber covers Penn State football and men’s basketball for the Centre Daily Times. He earned his B.A. in digital and print journalism from Penn State and his M.A. in sports journalism from IUPUI. His previous stops include jobs at The Indianapolis Star, the NCAA, and Rivals.