LSU CB Derek Stingley Jr.

6-foot
190 pounds

Yahoo Sports' 2022 NFL draft grade

6.60 — certain first-rounder; immediate-impact prospect

TL;DR scouting report

Highly talented, highly confident cover corner who has a bust quotient based on his play, injuries and character concerns the past two seasons.

The skinny

A 5-star Rivals recruit (No. 1 nationally) in 2019, Stingley had his choice of colleges to pick but went with the Tigers over Alabama and just about every other blue-blood program. As a true freshman, Stingley started all 15 games for national champion LSU, winning a slew of awards with six interceptions and an NCAA-best 21 passes defended. An ankle injury cut short his 2020 season, and a Lisfranc ended his 2021 season. He declared early for the 2022 NFL draft but was not able to work out at the NFL scouting combine as he was still rehabbing from the foot injury.

Upside

• Excellent athletic profile to handle the most athletic wide receivers

• Might be the most naturally gifted player in the 2022 CB class

• Tougher and thicker than his measurables might suggest

• Practice reps vs. Ja'Marr Chase in 2019 were the stuff of legends

• 2019 season was one of the best ever for a true-freshman CB against high-level competition

• Extreme confidence — takes on all comers

• Flashed feisty, competitive spirit as true freshman

• Experienced in man and zone coverages

• Good instincts to play the ball in mid-air without compromising his position

• Drives fast on routes with great recovery ability

• Great ball skills — ran routes in practice at receiver and snagged six picks as freshman

• Loose hips to handle short-area quickness and stay ahead of sharp cuts

• Looks to pry ball loose at catch point or after the catch

• Tough for receivers to stack him

• Game-changing, field-flipping punt-return ability — dangerous with ball in his hands

• Doesn't turn 21 years old until June — vast, untapped upside

Downside

• Limited tape past two years — only 10 games played combined

• Injury history is a concern, especially foot injury that could linger or recur

• Inconsistent since breakout freshman season

• Tackling issues show up on tape (see Missouri 2020, Auburn 2020, UCLA 2021 games)

• Gives up big plays with so-so effort

• Play strength isn't always maxed out

• Vulnerable when manned up without dependable safety help

• Made questionable gambles on the ball the past two years, going for picks

• Scouts say he appeared checked out at times in 2020, 2021 (or perhaps was protecting himself from injury)

Best-suited destination

Stingley's interviews and medical evaluation ultimately will determine his final landing spot. He possesses top-five ability but comes with a lower trust factor based on how he played in 2020 and 2021. Teams will be willing to gamble on his talent in the early-to-mid first round if Stingley aces those facets of the pre-draft process. He possesses man-coverage skill but also could be a star in a zone-heavy system that allows him confidence to drive on the ball and make interceptions.

Did you know

His father, Derek, played cornerback at Purdue prior to a career in the Arena League, as well as a cup of coffee on the New York Jets' roster. He also played baseball at Triton College after Purdue and was picked by the Philadelphia Phillies the 1993 Major League Baseball fraft, playing three years in their minor-league system, batting .219 with 55 steals. His grandfather, the late Darryl Stingley, was a first-round draft pick of the New England Patriots in 1973. Darryl spent five years with the Patriots before a serious spinal injury in a preseason game against the Oakland Raiders in 1978 ended his NFL career.

Player comp

Style-wise, Stingley reminds us a lot off J.C. Jackson, who turned himself into a top-tier corner in many respects after initially going undrafted.

Expected draft range

Top 10 feels likely, and top five might not be out of the question