Joey Porter Jr. becomes first Nittany Lion to go in the 2023 NFL Draft. What to know
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2023 NFL Draft
The Centre Daily Times has coverage of each round of the 2023 NFL Draft and where Nittany Lions are going.
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The first Penn State player came off the board in the 2023 NFL Draft Friday night.
Nittany Lion cornerback Joey Porter Jr. was taken No. 32 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round.
The newest Steeler measured in at 6-foot-2.5-inches tall and weighed 193 pounds at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. He helped solidify his position as an early round talent at the event in Indianapolis, in part by running a 4.46 40-yard dash and proving he has good long speed.
Porter was a lockdown cornerback for the Nittany Lions during the 2022 season, taking a step forward from 2021 when he began his ascent into stardom. He only recorded one interception in his four years at Penn State, in large part because teams didn’t dare throw the ball in his vicinity.
He was able to blanket opposing wide receivers and prevent them from having a chance to catch the ball, finishing the 2022 season with eight passes defended.
The Nittany Lion corner was a key piece on the back line of a Penn State secondary that was arguably the best position group on the roster and helped form one of the best defenses in the country. Porter’s marquee performance came in week one when he consistently broke up passes intended for Purdue receivers on slant routes. He finished that game with six pass breakups, setting a school record.
Porter was named a second team All-American by the AFCA, Associated Press, FWAA, Walter Camp Football Foundation and CBS Sports.
He was also named a first team All-Big Ten player by the media and by the coaches in the conference.
This story was originally published April 28, 2023 at 7:17 PM.
