2020 LSU Football Position Breakdown Part 8: Cornerbacks
LSU came into 2019 with very little experience at the cornerback position, with senior Kristian Fulton being the only returning starter. Behind him were a number of freshmen that included Derek Stingley Jr., Cordale Flott, Jay Ward and Raydarious Jones, all intriguing prospects in their own right but still new to the college game.
Fast-forward a year and the cornerback position is one of the deepest on the roster, with the Consensus All-American Stingley back leading the way.
Not only did Stingley exceed expectations in his first season with the program, but all of the freshmen had their moments to contribute in 2019 in some capacity. With Fulton now gone, those now sophomores need to carry on the legacy of the great cornerbacks to come through this program.
A few reinforcements are on the way with the loss of Fulton. At the end of the day, it'll be a young group at cornerback but one that's loaded with talent and experience.
Projected Starters: Derek Stingley Jr. (sophomore), Cordale Flott (sophomore)
Stingley returns to LSU not only as the team's best defender but as one of if not the best defender in all of college football. As a freshman, Stingley led the SEC in interceptions (6) and passes defended (21) and was a Consensus All-American for his efforts.
After spending a year of being targeted at the right corner spot and time after time shutting down the opponent's receiver, Clemson decided to try something different in the national championship. Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw Stingley's way just two times in the 42-25 LSU win, targeting teammate Kristian Fulton eight times.
"I take it as a compliment," Stingley said after the championship win. "All week we were focused on was how good of a passer Trevor Lawrence is knowing that he can make the perfect throw. We just focused on playing tight on the receivers."
Stingley's elite footwork, technique and ball skills sets him up to leave as one of if not the greatest cornerback to walk LSU's campus. With a championship already in hand, it will be interesting to see if teams in 2020 take the Clemson approach and not even try throwing his way.
Every year fans and media alike project who LSU will give the storied No. 7 jersey to in a particular season. In 2020 there really isn't much debate as it would be a big shock if anyone but Stingley was awarded the jersey. That's how good Stingley was in his first year and how good he projects to be over the next two years.
Who starts next to Stingley then becomes the question mark, and fellow sophomore Cordale Flott will have the edge as spring ball begins. Flott appeared in 14 games as a true freshman and proved to be a stout cover defender when given the chance.
He recorded 15 tackles with four passes defended in the 2019 season and will likely be competing against freshman five-star Elias Ricks, who was ranked the No. 1 cornerback in the 2020 class.
Flott looked confident throughout his entire season as a freshman, which bodes well for the sophomore come spring. If Flott is able to win the job, it'll allow LSU and coach Corey Raymond to bring Ricks along slowly and make sure he's completely ready before throwing him out on the field like the team did with Stingley last season.
A look at the depth chart: Elias Ricks (freshman), Jay Ward (sophomore), Raydarious Jones (sophomore)
The depth at cornerback in 2020 doesn't look much different than last season as LSU returns Ward and Jones, both guys that played behind Stingley and Flott in 2019. Ward is an interesting case as he could see extended playing time after a freshman season that saw him deflect three passes.
At 6-foot-2, Ward is another lengthy corner with great speed that will compete with Ricks and Flott in the spring for the second corner position.
It's sophomore Raydarious Jones, a high school quarterback turned cornerback, that will be the most intriguing to watch in the spring. Standing at 6-foot-2, Jones is another one of those long, athletic corners that is still learning the position but whose measurable's stacked up with those of Stingley.
Jones won a state championship in high school because of his athleticism at the quarterback position, a trait LSU is hoping will translate over to cornerback. How he plays in the spring will dictate where he is in his development and where he stands in the cornerback pecking order.
Dwight McGlothern is another freshman LSU could add to the mix but he hasn't officially signed yet, committing to the Tigers on Jan. 4. McGlothern is expected to sign in February as a four-star recruit out of Texas.
The 2020 cornerback unit will be one to watch, if nothing else than to see if Stingley can have one of those truly remarkable defensive seasons that lands him on the Heisman watchlist.
