The Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 NFL Draft class was known as one of the best in the league at the time. Among Steelers fans, there was talk about the 2023 group being as good, or equal to, the 1974 draft class which produced four Hall of Fame players, and a 5th if you include undrafted Donnie Shell.

Those accolades were premature then, and still are now, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t quality throughout the draft class. One of those players who absolutely has stepped up his game would be second year cornerback Joey Porter Jr. Porter reported to Organized Team Activities (OTAs) with five pounds of muscle added to his long frame, but it might be his mindset which has been the biggest adjustment.

Porter has been-there-done-that, and isn’t shy about the confidence he has in himself. After all, he is the son of Joey Porter Sr., also known as Peezy, who never hesitated to let everyone know he was one of the best in the league at his position.

Porter’s comments after OTAs sparked some controversy online when he talked about how no one did what he did last year, and that was follow the opposition’s best receiver.

“There are a lot of good DBs in this league,” Porter said. “Nobody was doing what I was doing, going against WR1s the entire year and locking down. I don’t care if I am mentioned or not because they are going to hear my name eventually.”

Even Pro Football Focus (PFF) recognized Porter’s comments, and justified them with some of their advanced analytics.

Joey Porter Jr allowed a completion on just 47.4% of his targets in 2023

LOWEST among all CBs with 50+ targets 🔒

Put some respect on his name 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/f48a1jEG3P

— PFF (@PFF) May 28, 2024

What should be remembered here is the fact Porter didn’t really start until Week 8, but when he was inserted in the starting lineup he never looked back. Were there penalties? Absolutely, but were there plenty of stellar play which far out-weighed the flags? No doubt about it.

The Steelers will need JPJ to have a huge sophomore jump in 2024 to help solidify and lock down half of the field while the rest of the secondary tries to sort itself out between now and the start of the regular season. Can he get the job done? The organization is depending on it.

Be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the rest of the 2024 regular season.