In the year As one of 17 prospects entering the 2023 NFL Draft, Joey Porter Jr. got the red carpet treatment while in Kansas City.
That Porter was not selected in the first round and returned home to Pittsburgh did little to diminish the young cornerback’s experience before eventually being picked up by the Steelers to open the second day of the three-day event.
“It was something I always dreamed of as a kid,” Porter said Wednesday. “I was living in the moment, taking it all in. I didn’t want it to happen, but that’s life. I feel it worked for the best. I’m here with the Steelers.
Porter was on the practice field for the team’s second organized team activity when the NFL announced that the Steelers and Pittsburgh would host the 2026 draft. A few hours later he didn’t know the news.
“I can stay awake and see what happens,” he said with a smile.
Porter said he was considered a Royal in the 2023 draft and will accept the NFL’s invitation to take part in the tryout to get an idea of what Pittsburgh has in store for the 2026 class.
“They served us a lot,” he said. “It’s a very small group that’s in that position, and they’ve taken good care of us, they’ve shown us around the city and they’ve made arrangements for us.”
Details of the city’s plans for the 2026 draft could be revealed at a press conference at Acreer Stadium on Thursday. Art Rooney II, the group’s president, said Wednesday that the event is spilling over into the downtown area in parts of North Shore. Point State Park is a logical gathering place in the Golden Triangle.
Long snapper Christian Koontz, a Chartier Valley graduate who attended Duquesne, said: “He brings a great feeling to Pittsburgh.
If the region has an attendance goal in mind, it could be to surpass the estimated 700,000 fans who flock to Detroit for the draft in late April.
“There’s definitely going to be a lot of Yinzers,” Kuntz said. “It’s going to be a Pittsburgh-heavy draft. It’s going to be awesome.”
“Like we always do, we bring in a lot of people,” said Porter, a North Allegheny graduate. “I feel like he’s going to keep Steeler Nation alive and raise it (level). I honestly can’t wait.”
Linebacker Elandon Roberts doesn’t join the Steelers until 2023, when he enters his eighth NFL season. It didn’t take long for Steelers Nation to appreciate the excitement and tailgating before home games.
Expect a similar atmosphere at the 2026 draft.
“There could be two conflicts,” he said. “Don’t let anyone insult a Steeler fan. They can hit you in the mouth. That’s why I love them. They’re blue-collar, but sometimes they don’t give a damn.”
Pat Friermuth, a second-round draft pick from Penn State in 2021, did not attend that year’s event in Cleveland. He stayed at home in Massachusetts and got really involved. The NFL’s Freiermuth sent a camera to capture the reaction to the Steelers’ pick.
“It’s good for Pittsburgh, and it’s good for local restaurants and bars and the revenue they get,” he said. “It’s great to have fans from all over the world come to Pittsburgh and see how great the city is.”
Freiermuth was at the other end of the draft in Detroit this year when he announced the Steelers’ second-round pick, which turned out to be West Virginia center Zach Frazier. He saw a sea of faces greet him as he walked across the stage to announce the Steelers selection.
“I was really scared, I’m not going to lie,” he said. “I was nervous to go up on stage and see all the people there, but I’m so excited to introduce you to Zach. We have a great bond from here.”
Freiermuth had an idea of what was in store for him when he entered the Motor City earlier in the week.
“I was overwhelmed (by the crowd),” he said. “I went to my hotel room and calmed down a bit.”
Each year, approximately 250 players are drafted into the NFL. There are dozens who have never heard their names called during the three-day event and have arrived in the NFL as free agents. Kuntz was one such player and had to switch from linebacker to long snapper before joining the Steelers in 2021.
“It gives high school kids and young kids in college a chance to see these guys walk on stage and make their dreams come true,” he said. “It’s great from that point of view.”
Joe Rutter is a Triblive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg-Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade of covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.