Few prospects carried the amount of intrigue at the NFL Combine on Friday as Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. The son of a former NFL veteran got his chance to strut his stuff on the combine field in front of the eyes of the NFL world and scouting community, and he did not disappoint. While he may not have been the fastest player in the cornerback group, Porter Jr. certainly had a good showing at the combine on his first day of workouts.
Joey Porter Jr. is expected to be a first-round draft pick, and some mock drafts have slotted him in the top 10 picks of the draft. So did he leave a first-round impression on those watching? That may depend on who you ask.
Here is what Twitter had to say about Joey Porter Jr.’s on-field workouts at the NFL combine on Friday.
Joey Porter Jr. with some notable measurements
Joey Porter Jr.'s 80 7/8 inch wingspan would rank as the third longest for a CB in the Mockdraftable system.
1. Derrek Thomas – 82" (2019)
2. DJ Daniel – 81" (2021)
3. Joey Porter Jr. – 80 7/8" (2022)Freak. https://t.co/8tkWYct2rw
— Daniel Valente (@StatsGuyDaniel) March 3, 2023
There is tremendous value in a cornerback with good length, and few are built like Joey Porter Jr. He really is a rare breed.
A true father-son moment
Joey Porter Sr. watches his son Joey Porter Jr. run the 40. 💙 @PennStateFball
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/RpeCskAR6ZSee AlsoQAnon Explained: Q Returns After 18 Months of Silence'A rip the band-aid off quarter': Here's what Wall Street expects from Tesla earnings amid an epic stock skid— NFL (@NFL) March 3, 2023
The storyline of Porter Jr. following in his father’s footsteps is unavoidable, of course. But watching Joey Porter watch his son perform at the combine is till a pretty cool moment to witness.
What does a former All-Pro DB think about Joey Porter Jr.?
"Out of Kelee Ringo and Joey Porter Jr., I think it's @jjporter_1 […] even though Ringo ran a faster 40."
Former All-Pro DB Samari Rolle gives his thoughts on two of the top corners in the draft following DB workouts at the #NFL Combine 💭 pic.twitter.com/wO5GDzL0Cq
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) March 4, 2023
You know you are doing something right when a former all-pro at the same position speaks highly of you. Samari Rolle reacted to what he saw out of Joey Porter Jr. and Georgia’s Kelee Ringo, another high prospect on the big board.
And what does a former Pro Bowl receiver think?
The only ❓ was his speed…
Joey Porter Jr. just ran a 4.47, which is all @SteveSmithSr89 needed to see 🤝 pic.twitter.com/DqMBn8AgnF
— Underdog Fantasy (@UnderdogFantasy) March 3, 2023
OK, but what does a former star receiver think of Porter Jr.? Steve Smith weighed in with his analysis of Porter Jr. and didn’t seem to mind he wasn’t lightning fast. And why is that? Because Porter Jr. knows how to play with his body.
Concern about a slow 40-yard dash time?
Uh oh. Not a great 40 time for my man Joey Porter Jr. Does that influence the Eagles at all?
— Mike Missanelli (@MikeMiss25) March 3, 2023
The Philadelphia Eagles are one of the teams that could be a good landing spot for Joey Porter Jr., but could the NFC champions be concerned with a relatively slow 40-time from Porter Jr. as questioned by longtime sports radio personality Mike Missanelli?
Who are the best receivers Joey Porter Jr. has gone up against?
#PennState DB Joey Porter Jr. (@jjporter_1) who's the toughest receiver he's ever covered.
Overall — @JahanDotson
In a real game — @GarrettWilson_V pic.twitter.com/iqyWleZgda— Penn State Nittany Lions || NittanyNation.co (@PennStateRivals) March 2, 2023
Joey Porter Jr. was asked who the toughest receivers he ever played against were, and one name was an easy pick and a familiar name to Penn State fans. Going up against [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag] in Penn State practices likely benefitted both players who could end up being first-round draft picks (Dotson was a first-round pick of Washington in 2022).
Joey Porter Jr. is full of confidence
#PennState's Joey Porter Jr. on how important it is for him to be the first CB off the board in the #NFLDraft.
"I feel like CB1 for a reason and the best corner here." pic.twitter.com/huzpidBRYM
— Penn State Nittany Lions || NittanyNation.co (@PennStateRivals) March 2, 2023
There is no mistaking where Joey Porter Jr. stands in the crowd, according to Joey Porter Jr. The Penn State product knows he has what it takes to play at the next level and feels he is the best at the position. We’ll see if he is right when the draft comes up.
The media gather for Joey Porter Jr
Quite the crowd for Joey Porter Jr.’s combine availability. Said he’s met with the Steelers, Patriots, Commanders, Lions and Vikings https://t.co/ndMVYXckVu
— Seth Engle (@bigsengtweets) March 2, 2023
There is plenty of attention being given to Joey Porter Jr. as one of the top defensive players in the draft, especially in the secondary. And with family ties to the NFL, there are plenty of stories to be told and shared. So a large media scrum for Porter Jr. was to be expected.
Holding firm to a first-round projection?
4.47 is a great time for Joey Porter JR. He is so long. Easy to see him as a top 20 selection.
— Shane P. Hallam (@ShanePHallam) March 3, 2023
The mock drafts have been pretty unanimous in projecting Joey Porter Jr. to being a first round draft pick, and his showing at the combine may not have done anything to take away that momentum. We’ll see what more post-combine mocks drafts have to say after evaluating all of the data this week.
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