Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr. declares for the NFL Draft, will not play in bowl game

Penn State cornerback and North Allegheny graduate Joey Porter Jr. declared for the 2023 NFL Draft on Wednesday and announced he will not play in the team’s bowl game.

“I sincerely appreciate my teammates, coaches, family and every member of the Penn State community who have made the last four years so memorable. My time at Penn State has been nothing short of a blessing,” Porter wrote in a statement.

“ … To my coaches and teammates, I will cherish the memories we have made and the lessons we have learned together. I have been fortunate enough to be surrounded by men who exemplify what it means to be hard-working leaders and for that I am grateful.”

Porter entered the 2022 season as one of the top draft-eligible cornerbacks in the country, and he lived up to that potential. The son of former Steelers star Joey Porter Sr. was named first-team All-Big Ten on Tuesday.

Porter, a semifinalist for the Bednarik and Jim Thorpe awards this year, had 11 pass breakups this fall, tied for third-most in the Big Ten. But that figure doesn’t tell the full story when it comes to how effective and how integral Porter was to Penn State’s defense, one reliant on man coverage.

Porter, a third-team All-Big Ten honoree last season, was tested in the season opener against Purdue. The Boilermakers targeted Porter 14 times, and he responded with six pass breakups, tying the single-game Big Ten record. Porter was targeted 16 times in his next eight games, allowing only nine receptions for 77 yards. Porter’s ability and subsequent respect from opposing quarterbacks limited offenses significantly.

The fourth-year player was a stalwart for cornerbacks coach Terry Smith, a former coach at Gateway. Porter started 31 games, eight as a redshirt freshman in 2020, all 13 last season and 10 this fall. He showed the willingness and pop to tackle, tallying 111 stops in three seasons. He also rarely came off the field, ranking third in defensive snaps in 2021.

This year, Porter missed two games because of appendicitis. But even though he wasn’t “full go,” as James Franklin described it, Porter came back for one final game. He walked on Senior Day and went out with a win against Michigan State. Porter was targeted only twice by the Spartans in Penn State’s 35-16 victory.

Now, Porter’s attention and focus turns to the NFL combine. The 6-foot-2, 194-pound prospect will be sought-after at the next level. Dane Brugler, The Athletic’s lead draft analyst, recently projected Porter to land with the Detroit Lions at No. 13 overall — which would make him Penn State’s defensive back selected in the first round.

Fortunately, Penn State has enough depth to cope with Porter’s absence. Kalen King, who is tied for the FBS lead with 18 pass breakups, has been exceptional. Johnny Dixon has 11 pass breakups and two interceptions. Marquis Wilson and Daequan Hardy have made plays on the outside and in the slot, respectively. Looking ahead to 2023, true freshman Cam Miller has logged a lot of snaps while burning his redshirt.