Joey Porter Jr. commits to PSU
Penn State picked up commitment No. 16 Tuesday morning, as North Allegheny CB Joey Porter Jr. announced his commitment.
A three-star prospect, according to Rivals, Porter has made it no secret for months now that he was high on the Lions. However, with four defensive backs already on board, it put Porter in a tough position. That changed recently when freshman CB Jordan Miner announced his retirement due to a heart condition, thus forcing the staff to add another cornerback.
Porter is the son of former All-Pro linebacker and current Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker coach Joey Porter Sr. His most recent visit to Penn State came back in July for the Lasch Bash Barbecue, although he’s expected to return in just a few weeks for the game against Ohio State. He’ll also take an official visit in December, joining the rest of Penn State’s committed players. Porter's commitment comes just a few days after head coach James Franklin and cornerback coach Terry Smith scouted his game against Central Catholic Friday. He had three tackles and an interception in the 27-9 victory.
Porter burst onto the scene this past spring, adding offers from LSU, Miami, Nebraska and Ohio State, among others. The Nittany Lions waited until early April, extending a verbal scholarship offer during an unofficial visit. From there, it felt as if LSU and Pitt were PSU's top competitors, although he consistently made it clear that he was high on the Lions, especially after this summer's barbecue.
With Porter on board, the Lions now have five defensive backs committed in the Class of 2019, joining Keaton Ellis, Tyler Rudolph, Marquis Wilson and junior college prospect JaQuan Brisker. Penn State would still like to add another safety. New England native Lewis Cine remains their top target to finish off the defensive backfield. Also, at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, its possible that Porter outgrows the position in the coming years. In fact, he could potentially play linebacker at the next level, just like his father.
The ninth-ranked prospect in Pennsylvania, Porter Jr. is currently the 54th-ranked cornerback in the Class of 2019. He's just the second in-state prospect commit to PSU this year, joining Ellis.