On Monday, the Jim Thorpe Association announced that Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. has been named one of the 12 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award given annually to the best defensive back in college football.
JPJ is π of ππ semifinalists for the @JimThorpeAward, given to the nationβs top DB. π#WeAre | @jjporter_1 pic.twitter.com/qfSyLGLQYk
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) October 24, 2022
So far this season Porter has recorded 21 tackles, 11 pass breakups, and recovered a fumble recovery. His 11 pass breakups are the second most in the country for FBS players.
Recently he was named to the Associated Press midseason All-American team and won the Chuck Bednarik Defensive Player of the Week for his Week One performance against Purdue. In that game, he recorded eight tackles, six pass breakups, and recovered a critical fumble forced by Zakee Wheatley that gave momentum back to Penn State.
Β Penn State has a player as a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award for the second year in a row. Jaquan Brisker was a semifinalist for the award that ultimately went to Coby Bryant of Cincinnati.
NFL scouts are also noticing because every mock draft put him consistently has Porter as a first-round pick, and some mock drafts even put him as a potential top-ten pick in next Aprilβs draft.
Porter is looking to be the first player in school history to take home the Thorpe award and joins two other defensive backs from the Big Ten Illinoisβ Devon Witherspoon and Ohio Stateβs Lathan Ranson.
Twitter: @bwalkerdadon
