Before entering his second season in the NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. made a bold statement in OTAs.
The Athletic's Mark Kaboly asked Porter who the best cornerback in the league was, and his answer showed how confident he is in his own abilities.
“Me, for sure,” Porter said last week.
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Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter, Jr., #24, covers a receiver during the Pittsburgh Steelers' NFL game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on January 6, 2024 in Baltimore. (Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The 23-year-old, who was selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft by Pittsburgh, had a good rookie campaign.
Porter made 11 starts in the 17 games he played for the Steelers, totaling 10 passes defended and one interception with 43 combined tackles. He finished fifth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting for his efforts on a tough Steelers defense that played a big role in earning a playoff berth last season.
Looking further into his stats, when Porter was targeted last season, quarterbacks only found their receivers catching the ball 30 times on 63 targets (47.6%). Porter was also credited with allowing just one touchdown last season by Pro Football Reference.
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While Porter showed exactly why he was a first-round pick out of Penn State, there are likely other cornerbacks in the NFL who would say they're the ones who look down on everyone else.
Porter himself made sure to mention people like Sauce Gardner, the young star of the New York Jets, Patrick Surtain II of the Denver Broncos, Jaire Alexander of the Green Bay Packers and Denzel Ward of the Cleveland Browns, among others.
However, he feels his assignments since taking over the starting role in Week 7 make him the cream of the crop.
“There are a lot of good DBs in this league,” Porter explained. “No one was doing what I was doing, going after the WR1s all year long and locking them up. I don't care if they mention me (among the top cornerbacks) or not because eventually they'll hear my name.”
Joey Porter Jr., number 24 of the Pittsburgh Steelers, in action against the New England Patriots on December 7, 2023 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Gardner has made his case over the past two seasons as one of the best coverage cornerbacks in the NFL. Pro Football Focus (PFF) has him with the second-best coverage grade (90.8), while he ranks first in separation prevention, demonstrating his ability to mirror the receiver's routes.
The top coverage grade, however, went to Chicago Bears standout Jaylon Johnson, who just cashed in on an extension this offseason.
Porter finished 20th in PFF's rankings, while Darious Williams (Jacksonville Jaguars), Kendall Fuller (Washington Commanders) and Derek Stingley Jr. (Houston Texans) rounded out the top five.
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Confidence is key for every position in the NFL, but cornerbacks must believe in their abilities, especially when paired with top passing options like Porter was. Additionally, believing in himself is also in Porter's blood, as his father, Joey Porter Sr., did exactly the same thing with the Steelers during his playing days. He used to talk about it too.
“I always try to keep my confidence and my swagger,” Porter Jr. said. “Coming into the building, I always felt like I was that guy. You have to work for that respect, but I think everyone understands what I can bring to the table.
“I'm always going to choose myself over anyone else.”
Porter probably knows his comment will make waves around the league, but his actions will be louder than his words.
Joey Porter Jr., number 24 of the Pittsburgh Steelers, watches during the game against the New England Patriots at Acrisure Stadium on December 7, 2023 in Pittsburgh. (Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
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Porter will only become more experienced as head coach Mike Tomlin continues to give him better receiver assignments in the future.
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