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Former Patriots rival Joey Porter’s son could be a draft target for Bill Belichick next month
"He’d just be happy that I got picked up by a team that wants me.”
Joey Porter is not a fan of the Patriots.
During the height of the “Spygate” hysteria, Porter claimed that the Patriots robbed the Steelers of multiple Super Bowl appearances. And that icy sentiment didn’t thaw throughout his subsequent matchups against Bill Belichick and Co.
“It goes back to my Pittsburgh days,” Porter said of New England back in 2009. “I felt a certain way, after some things came out, way back when I was in Pittsburgh, some AFC championships I lost to them, couple times. Come to figure out a few months later why we lost. So yeah, I have a natural hate for them. Period. And that’s just gonna be with me forever.”
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Forever? Well, we’ll see if Porter changes his tune come draft day.
If Jonathan Jones leaves Foxborough in free agency, the Patriots could be in need of a top corner by the time training camp opens.
And if New England wants to bolster its secondary via the draft, Joey Porter Jr. is a very appealing target.
Porter Jr., the son of the notorious Patriots’ antagonist, is considered one of the top corners in the 2023 draft class. The Penn State product is projected to go in the first round on April 27 in Kansas City.
And given both Porter Jr.’s skillset and the potential vacancy on New England’s roster, it should come as no surprise that the Patriots met with the 6-foot-2 corner during the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
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If New England was to come calling during the draft, Porter Jr. said his dad would have to grin and bear it.
“Yeah, I’ve met with them. Pretty great organization,” Porter said of the Patriots, per MassLive’s Mark Daniels. “I wouldn’t feel — I don’t think he’d be too mad at the situation. He’d just be happy that I got picked up by a team that wants me.”
Porter Jr. would be an appealing option for the Patriots when they’re on the clock with the No. 14 pick. The former Nittany Lion has the frame to be a matchup equalizer against imposing wideouts at the next level, while his physicality made him a strong option against the run down in college.
Even before Porter Jr. met with the Patriots in Indy, the corner prospect has been linked to New England, given their positional need.
Last month, ESPN’s Todd McShay projected the Patriots snagging Porter Jr. with their first-round pick.
“With Jonathan Jones now a free agent, cornerback seems like a very possible Day 1 target for the Pats — especially if none have come off the board by the time they pick,” McShay wrote. “Porter had only one career interception at Penn State (in 2021), but he broke up 11 passes last season. He has length and plays a physical brand of football, rerouting receivers off the line of scrimmage and outmuscling them on 50-50 balls despite weighing just 198 pounds.”
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