Over the years, LSU has developed a great reputation for producing NFL cornerbacks. The next cornerback in that long lineage appears to be Derek Stingley Jr., who is considered a potential top-10 pick. But is Stingley worth such a high selection and can he live up to the long history of great LSU cornerbacks in the NFL?
College Career
As a freshman at LSU, Stingley walked right into the starting lineup and proceeded to lead the SEC with 15 defended passes and six interceptions. He also showed explosiveness as a punt returner, leading to speculation that LSU might try to use him on offense the following year.
However, a concussion and a nagging leg injury limited him to seven games in 2020, causing his stats to drop. In 2021, Stingley played the first three games of the season before getting hurt again and requiring season-ending foot surgery. However, playing just 10 games over the past two seasons hasn’t hurt his draft status as much as you might think.
Pros
Stingley did more than enough during his freshman year of college to make NFL teams think that he can be a difference-maker at the next level. When healthy, he has the speed and athleticism to match up against virtually any wide receiver in the league. At 6’1” and 195 pounds, Stingley has good size for the position, as well as the length to guard taller wide receivers and jam opponents at the line of scrimmage. He also possesses ideal footwork and fluidity to match receivers stride for stride and change directions on a dime.
His length also gives him a chance to make plays on the ball while it’s in the air, making him a cornerback who’s capable of creating turnovers. Stingley is more than capable of playing press coverage, although he’s also looked comfortable playing off the line. The punt return skills he showed during his freshman season also make him a valuable prospect.
Cons
Of course, while Stingley appears to have the ideal skill set to be an NFL cornerback, he’s not perfect. Obviously, the injuries he suffered the past two seasons are a little bit of a red flag. Even if he’s not an injury-prone player, Stingley’s lack of action in 2021 could give him a little bit more of a learning curve early in his NFL career. His physicality is also something that he will have to master at the next level.
At times, Stingley’s physicality at the line of scrimmage can continue down the field, putting him at risk of pass-interference penalties. He could also find himself in a little bit of trouble against strong receivers in the NFL. Stingley’s ability to tackle has also been questioned at times. It takes a lot for NFL teams to completely avoid throwing toward a particular cornerback, so Stingley will have to prove he can make solo tackles after his receiver catches the ball.
Projection
Stingley’s upside is incredibly high, as he has the skills to be a lockdown corner in the NFL. That is what teams will see when they evaluate him, especially after he proved during the NFL Combine that his recent injuries haven’t taken away any of his high-end speed and athleticism.
His injuries and lack of playing time over the last two years will create some pause, but not enough to override his upside. It’d be a shock if he wasn’t the first or second cornerback selected and it’s highly unlikely Stingley will be available for long past the top-10 picks.