The Pittsburgh Steelers should select this local product in the 2023 NFL Draft

The Steelers can fill a major first-round need in the 2023 NFL Draft with a local prospect who would fit into Pittsburgh instantly.

Usually, the term “legacy” is reserved for college football when the child of a former player joins the team. It rarely applies to the NFL, yet the Steelers could have the chance to add a legacy prospect in the NFL Draft this year.

This wouldn’t be nepotism. It just so happens that the player in question would fill one of Pittsburgh’s bigger draft needs and is well worthy of a first-round selection.

We’re talking Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr., the son of Steelers legend Joey Porter.

Pittsburgh Steelers should draft local product and legacy Joey Porter Jr.

Porter went to high school in Pennsylvania. He went to college in Pennsylvania. The Steelers could ensure he continues his football career in the state as well.

Picking Porter wouldn’t just be about the name recognition, though that would certainly be a fun element. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound corner is legitimately a fit for the Pittsburgh defense, possessing great physicality, length and speed in his toolset.

The Penn State product is considered one of the top cornerbacks in the draft class of 2023. CBS sits him fourth behind South Carolina’s Cam Smith, Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez and Illinois’ DEvon Witherspoon.

That’s great news for the Steelers, who will have to wait until No. 17 to make their first pick in the draft. Porter should be available when their time comes.

Pittsburgh has other needs and could go in another direction if an offensive lineman or inside linebacker falls into their lap. Still, being able to take advantage of a deep cornerback draft could make letting go of DBs like William Jackson III or Ahkello Witherspoon much more palatable.

Porter Jr. stands out as a strong fit in terms of talent and mentality.