Derek Stingley Jr describes what kind of player he is

Derek Stingley Jr was one of the highest touted cornerback prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft and that is why it was not much of a surprise he went so early in the first round. The Houston Texans selected Stingley as the No. 3 pick in the draft Thursday night.

Although he only played in three games last season for LSU, people around the NFL were high on him, and that is a big reason why he became a first-round pick. In his introductory press conference this week, Derek Stingley Jr described what the Houston Texans got from an on-field standpoint when drafting him.

“I’d probably say that I’m just calm,” said Stingley. “I don’t let my emotions get too high, too low. I know in certain areas whenever I mess up I know how to diagnose it and talk it through with my coaches and fix it real fast.”

Given his lack of time on the field, despite his big production, his ability to learn quickly and take coaching from a defensive-minded head coach like Lovie Smith could help his development over the coming years in the NFL.

After trading away Deshaun Watson for many draft picks over the coming years, the Texans now kickstart their rebuild with a new coach and Stingley as a potential defensive cornerstone for the future. With two more first round picks to come next season, they will continue to add talent with hopes of returning to contention sooner than later.

More about Derek Stingley

Derek Stingley Jr’s best season at LSU came as a freshman in 2019. He had 38 total tackles and six interceptions to help lead the Tigers to a national title. After that season, the numbers dipped, but he still wound up being a top talent in the draft.

The team over at Spotrac released the contract details and what the numbers should look like for the former Tigers’ new deal.

“As the #3 overall pick, CB Derek Stingley Jr. should sign a 4 year, $34.6M contract with the #Texans, fully guaranteed, including a $22.3M signing bonus & a 5th-year option available,” wrote Spotrac editor Michael Ginnitti via Twitter.

Out of high school, Stingley was a five-star recruit and the No. 3 prospect in the nation from the Class of 2019, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.