Tigers in the Pros: Derek Stingley Jr. On Pace to be Ready for Week 1

Former LSU lockdown cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. is in training camp with the Houston Texans as he continues recovering from his foot injury suffered last season with the Tigers. After being selected No. 3 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, the expectations remain high for Stingley Jr. but this franchise is taking a cautious approach with their first round selection.

A Lisfranc injury is what sidelined Stingley Jr. for virtually his entire junior season with LSU, but Texans head coach Lovie Smith believes he’s progressing well during his first training camp with the organization, expecting him to be ready for Week 1.

"Yes, I do," Smith said to the media when asked if he expects Stingley to be ready for Week 1. "Whenever a player is coming out with a major injury, this ramp-up period, that's what it's for. We're going to ease him into it. He's healthy, seeing him run around. We had him doing a few plays... So he's on schedule."

Year 1 🔒 @stingjr pic.twitter.com/0LbCpi1B4j
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) July 29, 2022

Stingley Jr. started all 15 games as a freshman to put the country on notice during LSU’s storybook 2019 season. It’s rare to see a true freshman make an instant impact, but Stingley Jr. did just that alongside a number of elite players.

The lockdown corner carried his momentum from 2019 into the 2020 season, earning first-team All-SEC honors in a COVID-19 shortened season. Though the Tigers struggled, Stingley Jr. did not, really stealing the show as one of the nation’s top defensive guys.

#Texans rookie Derek Stingley Jr. pic.twitter.com/EotdKhtZlc
— Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) June 7, 2022

Shutting things down after just three games in the Tigers’ 2021 season, scouts questioned Stingley Jr.'s injury concerns with the Texans ultimately buying into what he brings to the table, selecting him as a Top-3 selection in this year’s draft.

The LSU standout has all the tools to be a dominant defensive back in the NFL as he enters Year 1 in Houston. Getting accustomed to an NFL regimen during training camp, it’ll be interesting to monitor the growth Stingley Jr. makes as he heads into his first season.