Latest PFF Mock Draft has Seahawks taking Joey Porter Jr

Jan 31, 2023 - 5:41 PM

New week, new mock drafts!

Unlike many other Seattle Seahawks seasons, there is heightened interest in this year’s NFL Draft because the team has a pair of first- and second-round picks. Seattle is currently set to pick 5th and 20th overall in Round 1, and many anticipate the Seahawks to use at least one of those R1 selections on defense.

The Pro Football Focus mock draft has Seattle going with Texas Tech defensive lineman Tyree Wilson at 5th overall, but the choice at pick 20 is a bit more surprising and also not realistic based on history.

20. Seattle Seahawks: CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State

Defensive line and cornerback feel like the two areas the Seahawks are going to want to hit early in the 2023 NFL Draft. With them selecting Wilson at No. 5 earlier in this mock, I have them looking at cornerback here. Tariq Woolen was a steal of a pick last year, earning an 81.4 coverage grade and tying the league high in interceptions (six) in 2022. Woolen measures in at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, and putting the 6-foot-2, 205-pound Porter on the other side would create quite the nightmare matchup for opposing offenses.

Porter Jr is the son of the great former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker, and considered to be one of the top corners in college football. This year Porter Jr finished with first-team All-Big Ten honors, having been on the third-team in his previous two seasons. He has just one interception in his college career but he had 11 passes defensed in 2022.

That sounds cools and all but the Seahawks have never taken a first-round cornerback under Pete Carroll and John Schneider. In fact, they haven’t even used a second-round pick at the position. Everything has been Round 3 through UDFA, so... yeah, this probably isn’t happening. A standout corner alongside Tariq Woolen would be awesome, but I think the Seahawks may wait to see what a healthy Tre Brown can offer in 2023. If not him, then perhaps Coby Bryant moves to the outside after spending his rookie season in the slot. Michael Jackson held down the starting spot in 2022 and may yet keep his job anyway! Seattle has options on the roster and surely will look at Day 2 or Day 3 options in the draft.

If they go corner in Round 1 my jaw would hit the floor.