Reluctantly, the 2021 NCAA football season is less than a month away. With new beginnings on the horizon for many collegiate programs, numerous NFL teams are already working hard on scouting for the 2022 NFL draft. LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr. stands out as one of the most complete cornerback prospects in recent years. Here at the Prospect Rollout, we will gradually introduce you to 2022 NFL draft prospects in the months to come.
What makes LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr. the best CB in all of collegiate football?
Stingley Jr. has been deemed the top cornerback prospect in the 2022 NFL draft by numerous outlets. In 2019, Stingley Jr. earned consensus All-American honors as a freshman while at LSU. He has proven to be an impact player and a dynamic spark to the Tiger programs in the short period of time that he has been there. Here are a few core traits that highlight his game:
Athletic Ability
Most importantly, Derek is one of the best athletes in all of collegiate football. He possesses excellent foot speed, hip fluidity, and acceleration to thrive in any coverage technique.
Ball Skills
In a similar vein, Stingley Jr. possesses ball skills very few possess. However, he is an elite talent when it comes to locating, tracking, and generating pass breakups consistently.
Great work by the LSU’s Derek Stingley
WR lines up off the ball so the space is created. Stingley did a great job of not creating more space. Very patient feet, nice kick step slide, stayed square making the receiver work laterally, looked back once he got In phase. Great work pic.twitter.com/NhBqRrqVfi
— Frontline Sports Media (@FrontLineSM_) December 7, 2019
During his rookie campaign, he led all SEC defenders in interceptions (6) and PBU’s (15). Despite only being a young player, he possesses unique instincts to that of few great NFL players.
Coverage Ability
Similarly, his press-man coverage ability is equal to that of his ball skills. Above all, he defines a shutdown corner that can dominate his opposing matchup consistently.
Derek Stingley Jr in single coverage over the last two seasons:
🔒 Grade: 91.8 (1st)
🔒 INTs: 6 (1st) pic.twitter.com/veI9Tv3QeQ— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) July 10, 2021
He can use his six-foot-one height to his advantage and plays with a tenacity that helps him be a great disruptor at the line of scrimmage. Overall, there are very few glaring spots in his game; and he is bound for an incredible 2021 campaign.
Where would he fit on the Raiders?
The simple answer is that Derek Stingley Jr. would fit in any NFL scheme. He is too great of an athlete and coverage corner for a coaching staff to pass up. With that being said, it is more than likely that he will be selected in the top 10 overall picks of next year’s draft. While the Raiders secondary has struggled in recent years, it would take a monumental letdown season from the Silver and Black to be selecting in the top 10, but stranger things have happened.
So as the collegiate season begins, stay tuned for full scouting reports and much more from Prospect Rollout!
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*Top Photo: Courtesy of Getty Images