More often than not, former LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr has been penciled in with the New York Jets in 2022 mock drafts. He is still viewed as the No. 1 cornerback prospect despite a step back over the last two seasons.
Could an NFL franchise get more out of him than LSU fans saw from 2020-21? Injuries certainly played their part in his play. One mock draft shows the former national championship cornerback falling out of the top five and the top 10.
According to his latest mock draft, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com has the former All-American cornerback heading to the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Stingley Jr slides down to No. 12 and the Minnesota Vikings.
Stingley would join former teammate Justin Jefferson in Minneapolis, along with former LSU Tigers Danielle Hunter and possibly Patrick Peterson. As the Vikings look to rebuild their defense, they can start with a cornerback that has tremendous upside that played far below expectations the last two seasons in Baton Rouge.
Stingley is a wild card in this draft class. If you watched him solely as a freshman, you’d think he was a lock to go top five. If you watched him over the last two seasons, though, you probably think he’s a borderline first-rounder. He has the tools to be successful at the next level, but I have concerns about his inconsistent effort and play strength.
The Vikings could lose two cornerbacks in free agency this offseason with Peterson and Mackensie Alexander. Adding in Stingley would give them a young playmaker with five years of control at a reasonable cost. Peterson is on the downward slope of his career, likely wouldn’t be more than a reserve for the remainder of his career.