Raiders NFL Draft Prospect: CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
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The Las Vegas Raiders have a little over a month to prepare for the 2023 NFL Draft, and while the team has been busy in free agency, there is still a possibility they can draft an elite cornerback in the first round of the draft.
Offenses in the NFL are getting faster and more complex, causing defenses to adapt to the changes. One way teams are doing so is by drafting players whose athletic ability and technicality match their work ethic.
“The defenses are different. There's definitely a more complex, I'd say, defensive schematic game at the NFL level. And so, again, that goes just into someone's ability to learn, someone's work ethic, and did they have the tools both from a personal and a mental skill set to put the work in to learn it,” Raiders General Manager said Dave Ziegler during the combine.
Fortunately, the Raiders can draft one of the top cornerbacks in this year’s draft.
Cornerback Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
“A long, physical press-man cover corner, Porter Jr owns prototypical attributes, along with NFL bloodlines (son of former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Joey Porter). His long arms allow him to knock receivers off their mark and enable him to get his hands on a lot of tipped balls,” Draft Bible said of Porter Jr.
The Penn State cornerback stands at 6-2 and weighs 193 pounds, and while his size might attract a lot of teams, his production on the field shut down one slide of the field.
Last season as a junior, he recorded 27 tackles (21 solos), and 11 pass deflections.
“Porter Jr. is also asked to play quite a bit of zone coverage and has no problem adapting due to his natural football instincts. In addition, he can help out in the run game, as evidenced by his 49 tackles a year ago,” Draft Bible said.
His 4.46 time at the 40-yard dash wasn’t the best among the top prospects. but when you watch his tape, he brought down receivers to his speed and mirrored them well.
The Raiders roster is continuing to add different players this offseason, and while they might move up on the draft and get more draft capital, Joey Porter Jr. could be a great option in the mid-selections of the first round.
The NFL Draft will occur at Union Station in Kansas City, Mo., from Thursday, April 25, to Saturday, April 29. ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network will broadcast all seven rounds.
The 2023 NFL Year and Free Agency period began at 4 p.m. EST on March 15. The Raiders are expected to be significant players in the free-agent market this season.
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