Up Close & Personal: Joey Porter Jr.
High school football is a big deal throughout Pennsylvania, but especially to those in the western part of the state, which is home to the famed Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League. And when your father is Joey Porter Sr., a Super Bowl champion and four-time Pro Bowler, expectations can reach a whole different level, fair or not.
Fortunately for future Nittany Lion cornerback Joey Porter Jr., those high expectations have been motivational. A two-year starter at North Allegheny, Porter totaled 48 tackles and 10 interceptions during his time with the Tigers, proving to everyone throughout the region that he had what it takes to play at the next level.
No one knows that better than his head coach, Art Walker. He may not be as famous as Porter’s father, but Walker, too, has made a name for himself in the Pittsburgh region, winning 189 high school games over a 20-year career, including five WPIAL championships and two PIAA state titles. Walker was a major reason why Porter transferred to the Wexford-based school in 2017. It proved to be a smart decision.
“Joey’s quiet, but he’s an incredible kid and a really hard worker,” Walker said. “He’s not going to be one of those emotional guys, but he plays hard and works hard. That’s how he leads. He shows how it should be done, on the field and during training.”
At 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Porter has the size that James Franklin and Terry Smith covet at the cornerback position. However, Walker said that unlike most defensive backs, Porter is actually more comfortable getting physical with receivers, rather than playing in space.
“He has a lot of confidence in his ability and a lot of natural talent. It’s hard to find a corner that, at his size, has such long arms and feels most comfortable the closer he is to a receiver,” Walker said.
“Usually it’s the opposite, so I think that’s one of his big selling points. It doesn’t matter if they’re short and fast or if they’re strong. Joey has a lot of range, a lot of reach and great ball skills. I think that’s a big reason why Penn State really liked him.”
Porter earned his scholarship offer from the Nittany Lions during his first unofficial visit in April 2018. He had received his first major offer, from Pitt, the summer before his junior season. But it wasn’t until after that season, in the winter and spring of 2018, that schools across the country started to show interest.
Arizona State, Maryland, Nebraska and West Virginia all grabbed his attention, but it was two Southern schools, LSU and Miami, that ultimately proved to be Penn State’s top competitors.
“LSU was definitely up there,” said Porter, who visited Baton Rouge just a week after he earned an offer from the Lions. “I liked Miami, too.”
Walker added, “Whenever LSU comes all the way up here just to see you, that’s going to leave a strong impression. That’s pretty special. I think Miami was another school he really liked.”
But while those two schools had their perks, they were located more than 1,000 miles from home. Meanwhile, State College was only about 150 miles away. The allure of having his family within driving distance ultimately played a major factor in his decision.
“There were a lot of things that I loved about Penn State, but one of the main reasons was that it was close to home. That was a big factor for me,” Porter said. “That also allowed me to visit the school a few times and become comfortable with the place.
“Another factor was their coaches and just the people around the program. ... I believe in Coach Franklin. I believe in Coach Smith and I believe in everything they’ve been telling me. They’re honest people and they’re good coaches and I thought they fit what I was looking for.”
Porter, who just recently enrolled, knows that some people will be looking to use his father’s accomplishments as a measuring stick. But he and his family don’t see those comparisons as a burden. Instead, they understand that it’s time for him to write his own legacy, one that will start in the blue and white.
“My dad went through this all before, so just being able to talk to him about all of this stuff is the most important thing,” Porter said. “He’s already taken the path that I want to take, so all of those little tips and suggestions are big for me.
“But this is about me. This is my chance to show everyone who I am, and that’s what I plan to do. I can’t wait to [get going].”