When top-level players leave for the NFL, it often leaves a huge void unless someone is ready to step up. At the cornerback position for the LSU Tigers, they have a lot of voids to fill with Derek Stingley Jr, Eli Ricks, Cordale Flott, and Dwight McGlothern all exiting stage left prior to the 2022 campaign.
LSU has to fill the role left by former All-American cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. Following the 2019 national title run, the five-star signee never looked the same for the Tigers defense.
The new staff under Brian Kelly understood the need to replace multiple starters on the defensive side of the ball, especially in the secondary. The team added Greg Brooks Jr from Arkansas and Mekhi Garner from UL-Lafayette through the transfer portal. However, CBS Sports has a different player in mind to replace Stingley Jr in 2022.
They opted for a cornerback that is already on the roster and received a huge chunk of playing time in the Texas Bowl against Kansas State, Damarius McGhee.
What CBS Sports Says…
Replacing Derek Stingley Jr
Replacement — Damarius McGhee: Though Stingley’s 2021 campaign was cut short by injury, his star power and pro projections are still worth mentioning, especially given the extensive personnel needs for Brian Kelly’s 2022 roster in Baton Rouge. McGhee was a four star-prospect in the 2021 recruiting class and earned the start at cornerback in the Texas Bowl against Kansas State, but he’s also one of just a few scholarship defensive backs left following some remarkable roster turnover in the wake of the coaching change. There has been some good news in beefing up the numbers with LSU landing a commitment from former Arkansas defensive back Greg Brooks Jr. Brooks is more of a nickel-safety option, but he’s a three-year starter in the SEC and at least another body for an LSU secondary in need of numbers.
The former four-star cornerback signed in the 2021 recruiting cycle out of Florida. McGhee was a former Tennessee commit that flipped to the Tigers. He was a two-way playmaker in high school which shows you that he has ball skills. Whether or not that translates remains to be seen. However, it could be a big year for McGhee if he can win one of the cornerback spots in the spring and fall camps. He has tremendous upside, but can he take hold of the opportunity before him is another question.