Derek Stingley Jr talks first meeting with Texans coach Lovie Smith

It was always written for Derek Stingley Jr., since he flashed immense potential as a freshman at LSU. Now, the former Tigers star became a member of the Houston Texans during the 2022 NFL Draft, when the franchise selected Stingley as the No. 3 pick last Thursday.

Now, Stingley will be hoping to adjust to the NFL as quickly as he did college football. One man who will play a huge role in his NFL career is the first head coach the former LSU star will have — Texans coach Lovie Smith.

In his first meeting with the Houston media, Stingley explained how he’s hitting it off with his new coach.

“It was good,” Stingley responded, talking about meeting Smith. “He showed a lot of interest. We had some small words about how it would be, but that’s between me and him. I’m excited to show it, once we get to the season. I just can’t wait to work.”

While Stingley hasn’t recaptured the success he captured during his first season at LSU, a myriad of factors went into that, including COVID and injuries. Evidently, the Texans believe they’re getting a stud in the former Tigers defensive back, as they selected him over former Cincinnati star cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner.

Now, it’s up to Derek Stingley Jr. and Lovie Smith to get the most out of the highly-touted prospect. The duo is more than up to the challenge for the Houston Texans.

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Furthermore, 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.