Former Miami Hurricanes CB lands on Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad

Former Miami Hurricanes cornerback Daryl Porter Jr. is getting another NFL shot, and this one comes with a familiar black-and-gold uniform. The Pittsburgh Steelers announced Wednesday they signed Porter to their 16-man practice squad, a move that keeps the South Florida native in the building after he was among the team’s final cuts earlier in the week.

Pittsburgh trimmed to 53 on Monday, with Porter listed among the defensive backs waived during the cutdown. By Wednesday afternoon, the Steelers formalized their practice squad — and Porter’s name was back on the roster. For a rookie corner trying to stick in a crowded secondary, that’s the modern NFL path: survive cut day, then rejoin as depth with the possibility of being elevated.

Porter was productive in the three preseason games he played in with the Steelers. In the opening game against the Jacksonville Jaguars he logged three solo tackles. In the second game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers he registered two solo tackles. In the third and final preseason game Porter had one assisted tackle on defense and one tackle on special teams.

At Miami in 2024, Porter started all 12 regular-season games and finished with 28 tackles and a team-high seven pass breakups. Across stops at West Virginia and Miami, Porter totaled 108 tackles and 18 passes defensed. He also comes from a football family; his father, Daryl Porter Sr., played five NFL seasons after being drafted by Pittsburgh in 1997.

Porter’s summer included a detour. He signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent after the 2025 draft but was released on July 28 when Buffalo added veteran receiver Deon Cain amid a rash of camp injuries at that position. Days later, Pittsburgh brought Porter in, setting up the audition that ultimately led to this practice-squad spot.