Penn State DBs Joey Porter Jr., Ji'Ayir Brown land on Jim Thorpe watch list
Immediately after his pro day workout at Penn State, graduate cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields offered a look to the future. In his absence, he was asked to identify the Nittany Lions most likely to make a mark in the secondary in 2022.
Expecting strong performances, both in the cornerbacks room as well as among the safeties, two players stood out. Among the corners, Castro-Fields called rising redshirt junior Joey Porter Jr., “the number one corner.” And, at safety, he said he expected Ji’Ayir Brown to “go crazy” thanks to the work he’s put in.
Monday, Castro-Fields was proven to not be alone in those assessments.
Announced via press release, the Jim Thorpe Award placed both players on its annual preseason watch list. The award is distributed each year to the top defensive back in college football, “based on performance on the field, athletic ability, and character.”
Next steps for Ji’Ayir Brown
The biggest selling point for both players, beyond their obvious on-field talent, is the extensive experience they bring into 2022.
For Brown, he’s played in every game of his 22 possible while a Nittany Lion for the past two seasons. Owning a rotational role after transferring from Lackawanna ahead of the 2020 campaign, Brown became a full-time starter and broke out by the end of his senior season.
Opting to take advantage of the bonus COVID year of eligibility following Penn State’s 2021 campaign, Brown has transformed from an on-field turnover magnet into a team-wide positive influence.
“Ji’Ayir has always been a leader since I’ve been here. But I’ve seen that skyrocket, especially over the last couple of months,” redshirt freshman Liam Clifford told BWI this summer. “He’s always speaking up, always telling the team good and bad things that we need to hear… On the field, he is just growing as a leader. He’s looking the best he’s ever looked.”
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Next steps for Joey Porter Jr.
While Brown has a good shot at becoming a captain ahead of the 2022 season, Porter could be in line to be the first Nittany Lion off the board in the 2023 NFL Draft.
With 25 career appearances, Porter has 21 starts and is coming off a third-team All-Big Ten season in 2021. Among his accomplishments, he notched 51 tackles, a forced fumble, an interception and four passes broken up in his third year in the program.
With those experiences under his belt, Porter Jr. is expected to provide the steady presence cornerbacks coach Terry Smith is seeking in the room this season.
“Hopefully, Joey can take that side of the field away,” Smith said. “He’s had a great spring. I mean, when he’s on the field, everybody on the offense knows it. His presence is felt. It’s tough to get off of releases. The guy is physical. He had a big hit on Monday at practice. He’s imposing.
“But, he’s just got to continue to build on that and build his confidence, fine-tune him, get him healthy all the way, and get him stronger. He’s a big guy, so we’re expecting a lot from him.”
Penn State preseason award watch lists (updating)
Sean Clifford – Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award
Keyvone Lee – Doak Walker Award
Chris Stoll – AFCA Good Works Team
Parker Washington – Biletnikoff Award
Mitchell Tinsley – Biletnikoff Award
Juice Scruggs – Rimington Trophy
Brenton Strange – Mackey Award
Ji’Ayir Brown – Jim Thorpe Award
Joey Porter Jr. – Jim Thorpe Award
