Draft superlatives for Steelers extremely impressive 2023 class

Steelers boom or bust pick: Joey Porter Jr.

Let me be clear, the value the Steelers got in Joey Porter Jr. was great. He could have been the pick in the first round and most of the fans would have been fine with the pick. Heck, I read quite a few Pittsburgh followers that complained that this team should have gone after Porter instead of Jones at pick 17.

He has a lot of hype surrounding himself as a prospect. From his name value to his unique size, to his ability in man coverage, many people are expecting Porter to make an impact from the get-go. He should see the field early, but that doesn’t guarantee success.

Porter wasn’t much of a playmaker in college, and while lacking interceptions isn’t a huge issue, it is worth noting. He is also strictly a man coverage defender, and he lacked the ability to thrive in a zone scheme. While Pittsburgh has become a more man-heavy system, they also still rely on zone coverage defense.

While I am excited to see Porter on the field, I do believe that he will either turn into a legitimate star or fizzle out. I don’t see how there is much in between. I have high hopes for him, and this isn’t a knock on him, but I could see a Porter fizzling out if he doesn’t latch on as a competent starter early.