Injury concerns didn’t stop Derek Stingley Jr. from being the first cornerback off the board Thursday. And on the call before the Texans took the LSU star third overall, Texans head coach Lovie Smith said he had a “plan” for the All-SEC CB.
“Hey Derek, you excited man?” Smith asked on the call.
“I’ve got a plan for you. How about going to the No. 1 receiver every time? Sound good? … We’re going to do a lot of good things, alright?”
Stingley played in just 10 games for the Tigers over the last two years, showing flashes of extreme upside. But, his 2019 tape was so impressive, it’s easy to see why a team would fall in love with the uniquely gifted corner.
Stingley’s elite speed and ball skills, paired with his overall athleticism should give him a chance to be a lockdown CB.
Lovie Smith and the Texans are hoping the LSU product can be the franchise’s first Pro Bowl corner since Johnathan Joseph in 2012. And prior to that, Aaron Glenn in 2002.
He’ll have his hands full from the jump in an AFC loaded with QB and WR talent.