Former LSU star Derek Stingley Jr to wear no. 24 for Texans

The Houston Texans have yet to sign their top draft pick from their 2022 NFL Draft, former LSU Tigers star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. However, that does not stop him from selecting his number for next season. According to NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, Stingley will go back to the number 24 for the Texans; the number that he started his career with at LSU.

Stingley finished his final season with the Tigers wearing the prestigious number 7. LSU gives out the number 7 jersey to a dynamic playmaker on the team. And in Stingley’s freshman year, after recording six interceptions, he displayed his true talents, as a playmaking game-changer on defense, worthy of the jersey. Stingley Jr joined a list of who’s who in LSU football lore wearing the number 7 in his final season. A list that includes Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu, Leonard Fournette, Grant Delpit, and Ja’Marr Chase to name a few.

Now that he is out of college and into the pros, Stingley will return to his original number of 24. The Texans are hoping to get the production level out of him that he displayed when wearing the number 24 as opposed to the number 7. But first, the two sides will need to agree on a contract before that can happen.

Stingley Jr talks first meeting with Texans coach Lovie Smith

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 in the first round of this year’s draft.

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.