Steelers go the nostalgic route with Joey Porter Jr. in the 2023 NFL Draft
All day before the 2nd round NFL draft started, the Pittsburgh Steelers fielded calls for the first pick of the 2nd round. The Steelers stuck to their guns.
With the opening pick of the second round the Steelers took in which fans will probably consider an exceedingly nostalgic selection, the Steelers took the Penn State quarterback Joey Porter Jr. How sweet it was when Steelers great Alan Fanaca announced his name.
Why is this nostalgic?
As you know, Joey Porter, the intimidating linebacker, was drafted by the Steelers in 1999 in the 3rd round. He went on to play in three Pro Bowls and had an eight-year career with the Steelers before heading to Miami.
Later he came back as a coach for the Steelers, and the Bengals players Vontaze Burfict and Wallace Gilberry nearly goaded him into a fight with him when he went on the field to check on the head injury of Antonio Brown. Porter had a look on his face like, “Seriously, dude.” He was a hard-nosed linebacker, for sure.
Thus with the first pick on day two of the draft, the Steelers drafted his son Joey Porter Jr. It’s the first time the Steelers have drafted a father-son combination. The Steelers did Dustin Colquitt, the son of Steelers punter Craig Colquitt but they never drafted Dustin; they signed him after the Chiefs cut him after a long career.
How Joey Porter Jr. helps the Steelers
It was a perfect pick for the Steelers to complement their selection of one of the best offensive tackles in the draft. Porter is 6’2”, 193 lbs, and ran a 4.46 at the combine. They plugged holes at two positions quickly. The good thing is they can give Porter the time to develop.
Porter Jr. does not need to start immediately but can start if needed due to injuries to their starters; thus, it gives them extra depth at the corner position. He should be an excellent cover corner and has the same physicality pay as his father. Plus, he can learn much from Patrick Peterson.
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One additional iota is that being a physical corner, he fits that Steelers mold perfectly. Steelers fans love physical football, and Porter will provide that for fans. It will be a treat for fans to see Porter take the field in his first preseason game this fall. This was a perfect selection for the Steelers.