2022 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: CB Derek Stingley, Jr, LSU

Why is LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr regarded as one of if not the top cornerbacks in this year's class? Nick breaks down the film to find out.

Author:
Nick Falato
Publish date:
Apr 13, 2022 12:10 PM EDT

In this story:

LSU Tigers

Derek Stingley Jr, CB

Height: 6’1
Weight: 195 lbs.
Class: Junior
School: LSU
Arm length: 30 ⅝”
Wingspan: 74 ⅛”
Hand size: 9 ⅝”

A former five-star recruit out of Dunham School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Derek Stingley Jr was the number one ranked cornerback, the first ranked Louisiana recruit, and the third overall player in the 2019 cycle. According to 247 Sports, he was the 71st highest grade ever in their system.

He earned Mr. Football Louisiana in 2018 while earning USA Today High School All-American honors. Stingely started as a true freshman and helped the LSU Tigers win the National Championship.

His name has been synonymous with a top-five pick since 2019, but his play wasn’t as consistent in 2020 and 2021. Stingley only played three games in 2021 before hurting his foot and getting Lisfranc surgery. He is now healthy.

Notables

Derek Stingley Jr makes a tackle as The LSU Tigers take on Central Michigan Chippewas in Tiger Stadium. Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. — SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Stingley's 2019 tape as a press-man cornerback may be some of the most impressive college CB play, considering he was a true freshman in the SEC. He had a 37 percent catch rate with six interceptions, and 15 passes defended.

He was only penalized twice as he aligned 883 times outside, 50 times in the box, 17 times at safety, and 81 times in the slot. He also recorded 38 tackles, one for a loss, and eight STOPs. Stingley was a consensus All-American.

His 2020 and 2021 seasons weren’t as strong as his 2019, but they weren’t terrible. In the two seasons, he allowed a 45% catch rate for 201-yards with five passes defended. He still earned first-team All-American honors in 2020, where he was only targeted 29 times.

Stingley has some family ties with the NFL; his grandfather Darryl Stingley was a first-round pick by the New England Patriots out of Purdue in 1973. His father also played cornerback at Purdue and went on to play professional baseball.

Stingley couldn’t compete at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine because he wasn’t 100 percent ready post-foot surgery. He competed at his Pro Day in early April, and he performed well. His movements looked effortless. Stingley wasn’t impressed with his 40-time after his Pro Day; he stated that he could run faster than a 4.3.

40-yard dash: 4.37
Vertical jump: 38.5”
Broad jump: 10’2”

Strengths

LSU defensive back Derek Stingley Jr. leaves the main media room at SEC Media Days in the Hyatt Regency in Hoover, Ala., Monday, July 19, 2021. — Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr

Good height and thickness
Elite athletic traits on tape, very sudden on tape
Plays with great COD, explosiveness, quickness, and very fluid hips
Sounds simple, but he has an elite pre-snap stance
Understands his position of power and knows how to utilize leverage
Good jam and ride ability, hands have some pop to them
One of the more disciplined players at the LOS that I’ve studied
Doesn’t commit his hips until the route is declared
Excellent overall LOS skills; patient feet, expands WR release when necessary
Ability to jam, flip, turn, and maintain speed is elite - loses no momentum in his turn
Does an excellent job staying in phase on vertical and horizontal routes
Body control and balance to adjust his path with momentum is great
Smooth backpedal - excellent click & close downhill
Does well with his catch technique; twitchy ability to explode from a stagnant stance onto underneath routes
Showed solid zone awareness
Recovery speed and short-area quickness is excellent
Elite ball-skills when the football is in the air (ability to hold onto the football is only good, had some concentration drops)
When he jumps, he seems to stay in the air and levitate
Physical and disruptive through the catch point
Solid overall tackler, willing in run support coming downhill
Typically takes good angles of pursuit to his target
Takes on stalk blocks well, plays with a physical chip on his shoulder to shed - doesn’t get bullied
Has the potential to be an elite press man coverage CB in the NFL

Weaknesses/Can Improve

Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU — Scott Clause / USA TODAY NETWORK

Arm length is in the 22nd percentile - thought he looked longer on tape
Because of the injury and the COVID-19 shortened year, he’s only played in ten games since 2019
Play regressed since his dominant 2019 year
Punched with his on hand a bit too often in jam; this can be exploited with well-timed WR hands that would leave Stingley in a terrible position
Tackling can be more efficient - he can occasionally leave his feet, dive, and miss his target
Had a few miscommunications that led to big plays (may not have been his fault)
That foot injury could cap early upside

Summary

Overall, Derek Stingley is an elite-level athlete with high-end man coverage skills. He’s very disciplined at the line of scrimmage and uses a physical jam and ride while expanding WR releases towards the sideline and being a nuisance. Stingley is very fluid and seamlessly flips his hips, stays in phase, and possesses unique body control when shifting momentum all while displaying excellent abilities to start/stop and react to WR’s movements.

His 2019 tape was by far his best film, and he hasn’t played much football lately due to the foot injury. I understand the reservations with Stingley, but he has top-five cornerback in the NFL potential.

Not many cornerbacks have his type of athletic traits, physicality through the catch point, and discipline at the line of scrimmage, which says a lot about Stingley. As much as I appreciate his 2019 tape, the injury gives me some pause, as does the regression, albeit cornerback is volatile and the traits were still evident in his last two seasons.

The Giants could have serious interest in a cornerback with one of their first-round picks. Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner is a great fit who doesn’t have the injury concern that Stingley possesses, but Stingley is also a great fit for the philosophy that defensive coordinator Don Martindale wants to employ. If he stays healthy, Stingley will be an impact cornerback in the league -- one who has true man coverage traits.

GRADE: 6.95 M

“M” stands for medical concerns