Pittsburgh Steelers best moves of the 2023 offseason

3. Drafting Joey Porter Jr.

Like many fans, I wouldn't have been a huge advocate for taking Joey Porter Jr. with the 17th overall pick had the Pittsburgh Steelers stood pat in the 2023 NFL Draft. While that still would have been an on-value pick, according to the consensus board, there were other players that I really liked at important positions in the first round.

However, when we are talking about stealing Porter at pick 32, that's a different story. The Steelers have been lacking a very good boundary cornerback in nearly every season dating back Ike Taylor's prime. Joe Haden certainly gave Pittsburgh a few good years, as did Cameron Sutton, but they've never really had a player who could be their lockdown guy for a long stretch.

That player isn't guaranteed to be Porter, but he has a good chance to be the best boundary CB since Ike. Porter's freakishly long frame, gritty play style, football IQ, and perfect mentality should make him a high-floor prospect. He also obviously has very strong family bloodlines and has spent his whole life preparing for this role.

The value the Steelers got on taking Porter in the second round of the NFL Draft was magnificent. This has been their biggest investment in a CB since Artie Burns in 2016. Before that, it's the highest draft pick spent on a cornerback since Chad Scott back in 1997. Cornerback is a very important position in today's passing league and the Steelers were able to nab a first-round prospect at pick 32.