Derek Stingley Jr. opens up on faith Texans have placed in him

The Houston Texans took a leap of faith in selecting former LSU defensive back Derek Stingley, Jr. with the No. 3 overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. While the standout defensive back has a sky-high ceiling, the pick comes with plenty of risk since he’s battled a number of serious injuries over the years. The faith in his abilities did not go unnoticed by the gifted defensive back.

“It means a lot. They saw my true talent,” Stingley said.

Stingley was one of the highest touted cornerback prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft. That’s why it wasn’t much of a surprise he went so early in the first round. Although he only played in three games last season for LSU, many people around the NFL were high on him, and that’s a big reason why he became a top three overall selection.

Stingley’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 crown. After that season, his production dipped, but he still wound up being a top prospect in the draft.

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.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Derek Stingley Jr.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein said although Stingley only played in 10 games from 2020-21, he has enough talent to make an impact in the NFL. However, if he can produce like he did during the national championship season, that will make the selection look even better.

“Uniquely gifted cornerback with rare blend of size, speed and explosiveness that will have teams willing to judge his upside off of tape from two seasons ago,” Zierlein wrote. “Stingley played in just 10 games over the last two years, offering flashes of his upside rather than sustained play. Regardless of season, he’s long, loose and extremely athletic. Elite speed and ball skills give him a chance to thrive as a bump-and-run corner capable of shadowing top talent around the field. He allows some separation from off-man but bursts to close distance instantly.

“He’s well-suited for a variety of zone coverages but needs to play with much better zeal and toughness in run support. Stingley will likely measure and test like Marshon Lattimore, Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie (depending on his weight), but he needs to find that breakthrough 2019 form in order to reach his potential as a lockdown cover talent.

On3’s Nick Schultz also contributed to this article.