Derek Stingley Jr, NFL Draft
After his freshman campaign that ended with a CFP national championship, we knew what Derek Stingley Jr was. He was a ball-hawking cornerback that had the potential of a two-way threat. However, his sophomore campaign left a lot to be desired. After leading the team in 2019, Stingley Jr struggled the next season and played injured quite a bit.
His passes defended number dropped from 15 (2019) to five (2020). He wasn’t able to intercept a single pass but did force and recover a fumble. The 10-game season was cut short for Stingley as he played in just seven games that year. The 2021 campaign was set to be the return of the old Stingley and he would wear the No. 7 jersey.
It wasn’t a lucky number for the former No. 1 cornerback of the 2019 recruiting class. After dealing with injuries in fall camp, he appeared in just three games as a junior. He would record eight tackles, 3.5 TFLs, and one forced fumble before he shut it down.
As he heads to the NFL draft, LSU is left trying to figure out how to replace both starting cornerbacks. One of the guys that stepped up in their absence is also exiting stage left.
Another CB heading to the draft.