Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1476228
2 8 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Penn State's 2022 roster is loaded with outstanding players on both sides of the ball. Here are the best of the best. P enn State's football depth chart is a work in progress, even as the team prepares to make the turn from preseason practice to game-week prep in advance of the season opener at Purdue. With key some questions still unan- swered, it's not entirely certain what the Nittany Lions' two-deep will look like ahead of their impending visit to West Lafayette. If last year is any indication, PSU won't show us that two-deep any- way, preferring to let fans and media piece it together when the offense and defense take the field for the first time. It's not too early, though, for Blue White Illustrated to assemble its list of the Lions' top players. Here's a look at their 25 best heading into the season. 1. Joey Porter Jr. | R-Jr. | CB Porter developed a reputation for drawing untimely penalties in 2021, but that criticism was largely unwarranted. In reality, the redshirt junior is the best NFL-eligible prospect on the team heading into the season. Elite cornerbacks make in- terceptions, and Porter has only 1 pick in his career. In its own way, though, the dearth of statistical evidence is a sign of Porter's excel- lence. As cornerbacks coach Terry Smith explained this past spring, the 6-foot-2, 198-pounder "can take that side of the field away." Heading into his third season as a starter, Porter has first- team All-Big Ten potential. 2. Ji'Ayir Brown | Sr.+ | S It would be one thing if Brown had something to prove in his bonus season at Penn State. That's not the case. The Lackawanna College transfer, now a super 25 For '22 NATE BAUER | NATE.BAUER@ON3.COM Junior cornerback Joey Porter Jr. has started 21 games during the past two seasons and is being hailed as a potential first-round NFL Draft pick in 2023. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL