Tag: Porter

Oct 28, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Sr. waves the Terrible Towel before a game against the New York Giants at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Steelers to honor Ben Roethlisberger, Maurkice Pouncey, Joey Porter Sr.

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Ben Roethlisberger, Maurkice Pouncey and Joey Porter Sr. will be inducted into the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Hall of Honor at halftime of a Dec. 15 “Monday Night Football” game against the visiting Miami Dolphins.

Pouncey was the center for star quarterback Roethlisberger for 11 seasons from 2010-20 while Porter was a stellar linebacker for Pittsburgh from 1999-2006. Roethlisberger played for the Steelers from 2004-21 and guided the squad to two Super Bowl victories.

“It’s special,” Steelers President Art Rooney II said in a news release. “Just to welcome a group of guys that mean so much to Steelers football, mean so to our fans. These three guys made a difference for us over the course of their careers. This group is a pretty special group and belong in there with the rest of them.”

Porter was in attendance for the announcement, made Saturday at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa.

“It’s called the Hall of Honor for a reason,” Porter said. “It’s an honor to be in it. To be mentioned with all the guys that played before that are in the Hall of Honor is special. Being in Pittsburgh, you know the tradition of what it means to play for the Steelers.

“So just to be always mentioned amongst the greats, that’s what makes it amazing. It’s an honor.”

Porter is the son of current Pittsburgh cornerback Joey Porter Jr.

The elder Porter was a three-time Pro Bowl pick and won a Super Bowl during his team with the Steelers.

Roethlisberger was a six-time Pro Bowl selection. He holds or shares at least 52 franchise regular-season records and 18 postseason marks.

Pouncey spent his entire career with the Steelers and was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection.

–Field Level Media

Apr 27, 2023; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kentucky quarterback Will Levis walks the NFL Draft Red Carpet before the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Titans trade up to select QB Will Levis with 33rd overall pick

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Kentucky quarterback Will Levis waited through the entire first round without hearing his name called.

The wait was much shorter during Friday’s second round in Kansas City, Mo., as the Tennessee Titans traded up to grab Levis with the second pick of the night and 33rd selection overall.

The Titans traded their second-round (41st overall) and third-round (No. 72) picks in this draft and a 2024 third-round selection to the Arizona Cardinals for the pick used on Levis and a third-round pick (81st overall).

Levis, 24, had consistency and turnover issues during the last two seasons while starting at Kentucky but his arm has impressed pro scouts and talent evaluators. Levis passed for 5,232 yards, 43 touchdowns and 23 interceptions for the Wildcats.

The Titans’ decision to trade up comes one year after they selected Malik Willis of Liberty in the third round. Willis looked overmatched late last season when he was forced into action after Ryan Tannehill’s ankle injury.

Tannehill turns 35 in July.

The Pittsburgh Steelers opened the second round by picking Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr., the son of former Pittsburgh star Joey Porter Sr.

–Field Level Media

Penn State's Joey Porter Jr. motions to the Nittany Lion faithful after Minnesota is penalized for a second false start in the first quarter at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, in State College. Hes Dr 102222 Whiteout

Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. touts self as ‘CB1’

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Self-confident Penn State defensive back Joey Porter Jr. made his father proud at the NFL Scouting Combine on Thursday, touting himself as the best corner in the 2023 NFL Draft.

“I feel like I’m CB1 for a reason,” Porter Jr. said in a 15-minute media session in Indianapolis. “I feel like I’m the best corner here. I’m here to show my talents and prove why.”

Porter Jr. finds himself at the top of a deep and talented class of cornerbacks that includes Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez, Illinois’ Devin Weatherspoon and Georgia’s Kelee Ringo, all viewed as likely first-round picks.

Porter Jr.’s father, Joey Sr., was an outside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers and also played for the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals in 13 NFL seasons. He was a four-time All-Pro — and first-team all-attitude.

Porter Jr. is highly physical and aggressive, especially for the cornerback position, has great size at 6-foot-2, 195 and stacks swagger the way his old man stockpiled sacks (98.0 in his career).

Trained on the Steelers’ practice fields, Porter Jr. said he used to practice coverage technique and fundamentals covering Antonio Brown. He played basketball with Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin’s sons and naturally would appreciate landing in Pittsburgh on draft day. The Steelers drafted Joey Porter Sr. in the third round in 1999 and he played for the team through the 2006 season.

Porter Jr. isn’t all talk. He didn’t allow a touchdown in press coverage last season and Pro Football Focus calculated opponent QB rating against Porter in press coverage at 58.0.

But new general manager Omar Khan won’t have the luxury of adding this Porter in the third round. Based on most draft projections, Khan would be fortunate if Porter was still on the board when Pittsburgh is scheduled to use its first pick at No. 17.

“I think it would mean a lot to my family. Been in the Pittsburgh area a while, staying home would mean a lot,” Porter said.

Porter said he models his game and style after former Seahawks and 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman and Rams corner Jalen Ramsey.

The Steelers are dedicating plenty of time and energy to visiting with cornerbacks in this draft class. Gonzalez, projected as a top-10 pick, said he was blown away by his meeting with Tomlin and paused his combine itinerary to call his father to inform him the Steelers’ coach was “even cooler than we thought.”

Gonzalez also said he came away wide-eyed from a meeting with the New England Patriots, calling head coach Bill Belichick “a legend.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 23, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (9) gestures to the crowd against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the second half at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr. declares for NFL draft

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Penn State standout cornerback Joey Porter Jr. said Wednesday that he will skip the team’s bowl game and is declaring for the NFL draft.

Porter is viewed as one of top cornerback prospects and figures to be selected among the first 20 picks.

“To my coaches and teammates, I will cherish the memories we have made and the lessons we have learned together,” Porter said on his Twitter account. “I have been fortunate enough to be surrounded by men who exemplify what it means to be hard-working leaders and for that I am grateful.

“After careful thought I have decided to forego our bowl game and declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. From one dream to the next, I am excited to continue this next chapter.”

Porter was named All-Big Ten first-team defense by both the media and coaches on Tuesday. He is the son of former NFL linebacker Joey Porter, who was a four-time Pro Bowl selection during his 13 seasons.

Joey Porter Jr. is a semifinalist for the Bednarik (top defensive player) and Thorpe (top defensive back) awards. He didn’t record an interception this season but had 11 passes defensed and 27 tackles for the Nittany Lions (10-2).

Porter’s announcement comes two days after Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu announced that he is forgoing the 2023 NFL Draft to return for another season with the Nittany Lions.

Fashanu’s decision was noteworthy because he was projected to be as high as a top-10 pick in 2023 had he declared.

–Field Level Media

Dec 12, 2020; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats running back Cam Porter (20) runs against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the first half at Ryan Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

No. 14 Northwestern runs over Illinois

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Behind a potent rushing attack, No. 14 Northwestern defeated visiting Illinois 28-10 on a rainy and wet Saturday afternoon to win the Land of Lincoln Trophy at Evanston, Ill.

The victory is the Wildcats sixth straight in the rivalry series, their most consecutive victories over the Fighting Illini.

The bad weather played a crucial role in the game, forcing both teams to play mostly on the ground. The teams combined for only 34 pass attempts, while rushing 93 times.

Northwestern (6-1, 6-1) had 411 rushing yards, the most since running for 444 against Illinois in 2003. Evan Hull rushed for 149 yards, freshman Cam Porter had 24 carries and 142 yards in his first major action of the year and Peyton Ramsey added 47 rushing yards and 82 passing yards.

Illinois (2-5, 2-5) rushed for 77 yards in the first quarter, but struggled to gain any more yards until garbage time.

After missing a 32-yard field goal on the second drive of the first quarter James McCourt redeemed himself on the next possession, nailing a 39-yard field goal into that same wind to give Illinois a 3-0 lead.

After the field goal, Northwestern zoned in. On the first play of the second quarter, Ramsey found Charlie Mangieri in the end zone for a 2-yard score to go up 7-3.

Later in the quarter, the Wildcats went on a lengthy drive. Across 17 plays and over seven minutes, Northwestern slowly trudged down the field.

The Wildcats picked up three fourth-down conversions on the drive and had 12 runs of four yards or fewer, but reached the end zone via a 2-yard rush from Porter to cap the 64-yard excursion.

Porter scored his second touchdown on the first possession after halftime on an 18-yard run, and Hull found the end zone on a 32-yard run later in the quarter to go up 28-3 and put the game out of reach.

By the start of the fourth quarter, Northwestern was resting most of its starters. Illinois added a touchdown on a 46 yard pass from Isaiah Williams to Brian Hightower.

–Field Level Media