Will Joey Porter Jr Continue Successful Father-Son NFL Trend?

Football has always been a family game.

The tradition of football has been passed down from father to son, and you don’t have to look far to see it in the NFL.

From Archie Manning to Peyton and Eli Manning, Howie Long to Chris and Kyle Long, Ed McCaffrey to Christian McCaffrey, Jackie Slater to Matthew Slater.

Father to Son Trend

There are so many examples, and there are even more in the coaching ranks, such as Marty Schottenheimer to Brian Schottenheimer, Mike Shanahan to Kyle Shanahan, and Bill Belichick to Steve Belichick. The theme is only growing in the NFL, and the cornerback position is slowly becoming flooded with the next generation of father-son combos.

Patrick Surtain was a standout for the Miami Dolphins over the course of his career, and now his son Patrick Surtain II has inherited his gifts and is showing a whole lot more for the Denver Broncos. Asante Samuel was a ball-hawking cornerback for the New England Patriots, winning two Super Bowls. His son Asante Samuel Jr is following in his dad’s footsteps as a quarterback’s nightmare after recording three interceptions in the Los Angeles Chargers defeat in the Wildcard Round of the 2022 season.

Another next-gen out of Penn State is poised to join the ranks. Joey Porter Jr is the son of former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Joey Porter.

Unlike Samuel Jr and Surtain II, Porter Jr has not followed the same career path as his dad, playing on the perimeter of the defense rather than rushing opposing quarterbacks.

Is Porter Jr Worth a Top-10 NFL Draft Pick?

Porter is certainly worth a first-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft after a standout career for the Nittany Lions. Penn State fans can use a free bet to back Porter to be the first cornerback selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, although there will be stiff competition amid the talent emerging from the college ranks this year.

Porter has as good a chance as anyone, and judging by his stock and attributes, there could be a team willing to use a pick within the top 10 to secure his signature for the next five seasons and potentially beyond. At 6ft 2in, he has the size that teams crave out of a modern cornerbacks. He’ll be able to match up against taller receivers on the perimeter, especially for jump-balls in the endzone. Porter was not shy about using his physicality for the Nittany Lions, and that could lead to a steep learning curve in the NFL.

The 23-year-old is an experienced athlete, playing 86 games over the course of his college career with Penn State. The only concern when it comes to his stats is that he’s only accrued one interception in four seasons. To be the top cornerback talent, you need to have stronger ball skills than those statistics suggest. On the other hand, teams will love his willingness to take and the attitude that he has inherited from his dad.

Competition

There are a number of talented cornerbacks available and a host of teams that need them within the top 10 picks of the NFL Draft. Devon Witherspoon, Christian Gonzalez, and Cam Smith are also in contention to be the first cornerback off the board. Gonzalez was outstanding for the Oregon Ducks, displaying solid coverage and ball skills with four picks. Witherspoon was a lockdown corner for Illinois, while Smith was equally impressive for South Carolina, who have a reputation for developing elite players at the position.

The Porter name might give Joey Porter Jr the edge over his rivals, especially considering the recent success stories of Surtain II and Samuel Jr. His physical skills will be showcased at the NFL Combine, and it would be no surprise to see him rise to the top of draft boards of almost every cornerback-needy team.

The Arizona Cardinals at the third pick could be an option, but that might be a bit early. However, the Detroit Lions at six could be a logical move, with the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles in play at the ninth and 10th pick, respectively.