Texans CB Derek Stingley shows potential challenging WR Brandin Cooks

Houston Texans rookie CB Derek Stingley proved he can be a worthy challenger to WR Brandin Cooks on the 10th day of training camp.

Brandin Cooks has had a dominant training camp.

Fans have seemingly heard day after day this summer about Cooks dominance over the defense. Crisp routes, big catches, and day-after-day victories over a Texans’ defense that was supposed to be the most improved unit on the team this season.

The talent shows on the field as well. Second-year wideout Nico Collins may have taken huge strides this off-season but it doesn’t compare to Cooks on the field. The ninth year wideout with six seasons of over 1,000 yards, all throughout appearances on four different teams, just makes everything look faster.

The routes are cleaner, the releases are quicker, and everything he does makes the game of football look easy in a way that nobody else on Houston’s roster quite can. He’s undoubtably the blue chip talent of the offense and it’s hard not to view Cooks as the best at what he does on the Texans, save a debate over where Laremy Tunsil ranks in the left tackle hierarchy.

However, the Cooks train of uncontested dominance finally came to it’s first hiccup on Wednesday on a play by rookie Derek Stingley.

The former LSU product has had a slow introduction to camp since being drafted third overall in April. The team and head coach Lovie Smith have wanted to be very conservative with Stingley’s previous Lisfranc fracture and make sure their prized rookie will be 100% when the time comes for live football.

Wednesday’s practice finally revealed to fans what they may see when Stingley is given the full green light.

Quarterback Davis Mills fired a 10-yard comeback route to the left side line to Cooks during the team’s first offense versus defense session. Stingley was able to read Cooks and jump the route for a play that certainly would have been a pick-6 had he held onto it. It was arguably the best defensive play of the day during a practice where they frequently stopped the offense.

Stingley was drafted with the intent that the Houston Texans would one day have another lockdown corner. Flashes against high-caliber receiving talent like Cooks suggests that he just may be able to reach that ceiling.

Fans will almost certainly see Stingley debut in September during the Texans’ week one game against the Indianapolis Colts.