Son of former NFL great could be targeted by the Arizona Cardinals
By Jim Koch
The Arizona Cardinals could shore up the cornerback position by using their first-round draft selection on Joey Porter Jr.
Back when Ken Whisenhunt was the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, the team’s roster featured several individuals who had made their bones with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Larry Foote, Alan Faneca, LaMarr Woodley, Rashard Mendenhall and Clark Haggans were just a few of the players who joined Whisenhunt in the desert after successful stints in the “Steel City”.
One additional member of that group was Joey Porter, an intimidating linebacker who spent the final two campaigns of his NFL career with “Big Red”. Now, over a decade later, the son of the four-time Pro Bowler could become the next member of the Porter family to don a Cardinals uniform.
Joey Porter Jr., a cornerback out of Penn State University, could be there for the taking when the Cards make their first-round draft selection next April. How cool would it be if the junior version of the father-son duo ultimately joined the organization that once employed his old man?
From the looks of things, Porter Jr. joining the Cardinals is a scenario that could very well come to fruition. Thanks to the awful season they are having, Arizona has a very good shot at possessing a top-10 pick. Could Porter Jr. be on the radar of the team’s front office in 2023?
Cornerback position needs to be a priority of the 2023 Arizona Cardinals
The Cards defensive unit could certainly use some help at cornerback. At the present time, Marco Wilson is the squad’s only established cover guy who’s guaranteed to return next fall. Both Byron Murphy and Antonio Hamilton have contracts that will expire when the schedule comes to an end in roughly three weeks.
Porter Jr. would be an outstanding addition to the Cardinals secondary. At 6 foot 2, 195 pounds, the youngster has the size and length that the league’s scouts look for in a cornerback. Porter’s four-year stint with the Nittany Lions also speaks for itself.
This past fall, Porter Jr. totaled 27 tackles and an impressive 11 passes defensed in the 10 games he competed in for Penn State. In his 34 collegiate appearances, the 22-year-old racked up 113 tackles, 20 pass breakups and an interception for the school.
2023 Arizona Cardinals Wishlist. light. Hot
Arizona will have their choice of several attractive options during the opening round of the ’23 NFL Draft. The bloodlines and pedigree that Porter Jr. possesses should certainly put him near the top of the franchise’s prospect list. Exactly who’ll be making that extremely-important selection remains to be seen, but the rangy defender would make a ton of sense for the cornerback-needy Cards.
(Statistics provided by Sports Reference)
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