2023 NFL Draft: 5 Players to Watch from the Big Ten During the 2022 Season
By Kyle Edmond
2023 NFL Draft Big Ten Prospect #4: Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
Northwestern was the only team in the Big Ten to not have a player selected during the 2022 NFL Draft. The Wildcats went 3-9 last season and will now travel to Dublin, Ireland to start the upcoming season with a conference matchup, the third consecutive season playing a conference game week one. Despite all those “bad luck” moments, the Wildcats have the potential to produce the first offensive lineman selected in the 2023 NFL Draft.
In 2020, Peter Skoronski was named All-Big Ten Second Team while also being a True Freshman All-American according to 247Sports. Skoronski followed that up in 2021 by being named to the All-Big Ten First Team by the coaches and All-Big Ten Second Team by the media, while paving the way for a 1,000-yard rushing season for Northwestern running back Evan Hull. Offensive lineman is often an overlooked position group by fans. It’s not flashy, they don’t (often) score. However, they are the key to having a consistently successful team at all levels of the game.
The 2022 NFL Draft saw nine offensive lineman selected in the first round and three in the top-10. The 2021 NFL Draft had five offensive lineman go in the first while the 2020 NFL Draft had seven go in the first round. If those trends continue and Peter Skoronski has a strong 2022 season, he should hear his name called during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
2023 NFL Draft Big Ten Prospect #5: Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
For those wondering, yes, that Joey Porter. While Joey Porter Sr. was a 13-year veteran and Super Bowl champion at the linebacker position, his son, Joey Porter Jr., is a cornerback. Standing 6-foot-2 and just shy of 200 pounds, Joey Porter Jr. could be a menace in the NFL, just like his dad. Having a big and strong frame, Porter has what NFL teams are looking for now to equip their secondary. Porter only has one collegiate interception over 24 games, but he’s consistently been able to disrupt passes in other ways. He also tallied 50 tackles.
He was named All-Big Ten Third Team by the coaches and was an Honorable Mention for the media each of the last two seasons. Porter has proven to be a consistent tackler and while you’d like to see more interceptions from a corner, he’s still solid in coverage. His name will be enough to raise an eyebrow in NFL circles. If he can elevate his play in the upcoming season, he could sneak up draft boards over the course of the 2022 campaign leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft. While he might not be a top prospect, he’s a name to pay attention to as the draft process plays out.