What Led Texans To Derek Stingley Jr. At Pick No. 3?
Houston — Coach Lovie Smith was critical of the on-field production coming from the cornerback corps when reflecting on 2021. Smith said their play "was not good", and the Texans could not "run their defense right" until they improved at the position.
Two weeks following Smith's plea, the Texans made a significant move to enhance their cornerback group.
Thursday evening, Houston acquired former LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. with their top selection (No. 3 overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft. Stingley came into the draft as arguably the best player at his position.
General manager Nick Caserio felt Stingley was a consensus pick. The franchise placed ample time evaluating Stingley more than any other prospect.
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"All coaches lobby for their respective positions — that's part of the process," Caserio said following Day 1 of the draft. "The one thing about Lovie, he is very open-minded and flexible. If we did something else, I think he would have been okay. It's a collaborative effort and just trying to make good decisions for the team and the organization. Those are the most important things."
During the NFL Combine in March, Smith was precise when detailing the attributes he would like to see in his cornerbacks. He wanted a six-foot defensive back that was fast, not afraid to tackle and possessed the skills to take the ball away. And Stingley fit the bill.
He is a 6-foot-1 corner who recorded 73 tackles (56 solo hits), 20 pass deflections, six interceptions and a pair of forced fumbles in 25 appearances at LSU. Stingley posted a sensational 40-time at his Pro Day, where he recorded a 4.37 on his first attempt.
But Stingley's experience playing in the SEC made him more desirable to the Texans.
Beyond battling against other schools in the conference, Stingley's stiffest competition may have come against the wide receivers he faced in practice. Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Jaray Jenkins are a few noteworthy receivers Stingley battled on a day-to-day basis during his three-year stint at LSU.
"We think he is a good player and fits the profile of what we're trying to do," Caserio said. "I would say defensively and kind of how we're building the program, so that was the rationale behind the pick there. Any time you can see them against the best players and top level of competition — that absolutely goes into the evaluation."
The lone knock against the Texans' selection of Stingley is his injury history. He is coming off a season where a torn ligament in his left foot limited him to three games during his junior year.
The year prior, Stingley missed three games. He missed LSU's season opener in 2020 with a non-COVID-19 illness, and a sprained ankle forced Stingley to miss the final two games in 2020.
Caserio said the Texans felt comfortable drafting Stingley despite the injury concerns. Houston selected Stingley one spot ahead of former University of Cincinnati standout Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner. The New York Jets made Gardner their top selection of the draft at pick No. 4.
The Texans closed the first round by drafting offensive lineman Kenyon Green from Texas A&M with their 15th overall pick.
