LSU's Ja'Marr Chase, Derek Stingley Jr. Named 2020 Preseason Walter Camp First-Team All-Americans
They say iron sharpens iron and that statement couldn't ring truer for two of LSU's top returning players in 2020. There's no denying that LSU receiver Ja'Marr Chase and Derek Stingley Jr. are two of the best at their positions in college football.
Both have received recognition from multiple publications after 2019 seasons that left them consensus All-Americans. On Thursday, the dynamic duo were named to the Walter Camp preseason All-America first-team for the 2020 season.
Chase is coming off one of the more prolific seasons by a college receiver in history, breaking the SEC single-season yards record with 1,780 and securing 20 touchdowns, also an SEC single-season record. The junior will be sporting LSU's No. 7 jersey this upcoming season for the Tigers, an honor bestowed to an individual player annually on each team for his accomplishments on the field.
The 2019 Biletnikoff winner is expected to be a high first round pick in next year's NFL Draft.
"I look at No. 7 as a competitive number. I think the No. 7 at LSU is a challenge," Chase said. "There's a lot of things that go on in the year when you have 7 on, a lot of critics, a lot of people, a lot of expectations from 7, and I want to have that challenge upon me."
As for Stingley, the freshman established himself as one of the nation's best at an early stage. His technique and approach have been lauded by many as his high school coach has been on the record saying he could've started for LSU after his junior year at Dunham High School.
Often times quarterback Joe Burrow forgot that Stingley was just a freshman.
"He is the best young cornerback I’ve ever seen and I’ve been around some great ones. He’s the best and it’s really not even close," Burrow said on Adam Schefter's Podcast ahead of the NFL draft. "He plays the position so smooth that it’s just really hard to get open on him. The battle between him and Ja’Marr in practice was a lot of fun.
“When he first got to LSU I learned very quickly throwing his direction was not going to be how I made my living at practice.”
In his All-American freshman season, Stingley led the SEC in interceptions (6) and pass breakups (21). His two interception SEC Championship game against Georgia was truly one of dominance as the LSU defense clamped down to hold the Bulldogs to 10 points in a runaway 37-10 victory.
Orgeron and the staff have said all along how competitive those battles between Stingley and Chase were and expect that to continue as the 2020 season looms closer.
"You go 1-on-1 against Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Terrace Marshall, you're going to get better or get going," Orgeron said on "Off the Bench" in early June. "That's just the way it is. Iron sharpens iron. We call it the Ponderosa. I think going against those guys every day made them better and when they started winning against those guys, we said, 'Hey, they're ready to play against our opponents because are not much better, if at all. We're going to be better than most of them that we play.'"
