Despite not starting the whole season, Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. had one of the best rookie years among defensive players in 2023. Porter finished fifth in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting.
While Porter is a cornerback, he plays a lot like his dad Joey Porter Sr., a former outside linebacker for the Steelers. He has a ton of swagger and isn’t afraid to get his nose dirty.
John Kosko of Pro Football Focus recently ranked Porter as the third-most physical cornerback in the NFL in 2023. Only A.J. Terrell of the Atlanta Falcons and Michael Davis of the Washington Commanders were deemed more physical.
“Porter brings physicality to the Steelers’ secondary and has proven to be one of the best young cornerbacks in the NFL. When he made contact with a receiver in 2023, he allowed just a 45.3 passer rating and a 38.2% completion percentage,” Kosko wrote.
Porter said at OTAs that his goal this offseason was to add more weight and get stronger. He wants to bulk up from 200 pounds to 205 pounds.
“I feel good,” Porter said. “Really, I’m feeling confident right now. It was about five pounds, maybe. I’m really trying to play at 205 last year. I fluctuate from 198 to 200. It’s kinda weird because I’m big for my position, so being 200 was not a big deal for me. But at 205 I can be physical in the run game and on the line.”
Porter wants to dominate No. 1 wide receivers. He believes the added muscle will allow him to be even more physical.
“Covering No. 1 wide receivers forces you to grow up fast,” Porter said. “I feel like I took on that challenge and showed I could hang with them. That’s something hopefully I can continue to do this year.”
In a recent interview with Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, Porter declared that he’s the best cornerback in the NFL. Porter told Kaboly, “I don’t care if I am mentioned in there (among the best) or not because they are going to hear my name eventually.”
