Does Lock Down Cornerback = Joey Porter Jr.?

First Round Mock NFL Draft Analyst Ken Becks takes a look at hyped up Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and doesn’t see him as highly as most of the draft platforms out there.

#9 Joey Porter Jr.

POSITION: Cornerback (CB)
SCHOOL: Penn State
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 198

Evaluated Games:

Auburn ’22

Northwestern ’22

Michigan ’22

Ohio State ’22

Strengths

Porter has good height and length for the position of cornerback. He possesses prototype arm length when defending in the passing game at the next level.

Awareness – – he possesses good awareness of the field when it comes to:

• down and distance
• route recognition
• keeping plays funneled inside containment
• utilizing the sidelines defending opponents

Porter additionally displays quick agile feet and fluid hips, which allows him to transition well in coverage.

He has better-than-average closing speed moving toward the ball, showing good leaping ability, enabling him to defend passes at the highpoint downfield.

Weaknesses

He could stand to use some more bulk on his thin athletic frame. He lacks the ideal sturdy build projecting to the next level.

Where is his sense of urgency making his way to the ball?

Porter displays lethargic and sluggish movement to the ball, a lack of intensity fighting off blocks on his way to the ball, and looks as though he is playing on ¾ of a motor.

Elite athleticism is something Porter does not have. He also lacks the instant short-area bust and explosion when redirecting to be considered a pure cover corner projecting him to the next level.

He is quite handsy in coverage, which makes him susceptible to penalties.

Porter has got to find a way to become more consistent on routine tackles. He seems to prefer side shoulder tackles, or to aim more for the lower areas of the body. He needs to square up on tackles consistently. There needs to be improvement initiating first contact, and he could stand to become more physical stopping ball carriers momentum on contact. He’s just too passive in this area of his game. Too often, he’s just assisting on tackles or seen standing around the pile after tackle’s have been made.

The big thing is where are the big plays from Porter throughout the games?

2023 NFL Draft Prospect Value

Second-Round (top-40)

Scouting Report Summary

There is no question Porter has the talent to play the cornerback position. He possesses most of the athletic traits that are looked for.

The thing of it is – – he has proficient ratings across the board, but he isn’t outstanding in any area of his game.

I am projecting him to become a high-level No. 2 starting corner in the NFL, but his overall game needs refinement. He also needs to bring more of a physical mentality to the field.

Porter’s press clippings suggest there’s more to him than what he showed on game film

Ken Becks [TheScout] has been covering & scouting NFL prospects for over 30 years! Ken has worked with the Indoor Football Scouting Bureau and he’s been mentioned in publications such as Scout.com, ABCNews.com, and TheNewsStar.com. He covers the NFL Draft for FirstRoundMock.com and he is the founder and Director of 1stDownScouting.com. Follow him @1stdown_scout on Twitter.