LSU football star Derek Stingley Jr. reacts to being awarded legendary No. 7 jersey

LSU football star Derek Stingley Jr. will wear the iconic No. 7 jersey this season.

There is a new Lucky No. 7 in town for the LSU football team, as star defensive back Derek Stingley Jr. will wear the legendary number on Baton Rouge Saturday nights and everything in between this season.

“It’s an honor to be part of the legacy of players that have worn the No. 7 jersey,” said Stingley in a statement. “I’m looking forward to upholding the tradition and the standard of play that has been set by the group that has come before me.”

“Derek is very deserving of following in the footsteps of some of the great players in LSU history in wearing the No. 7 jersey,” said LSU head coach Ed Orgeron. “Derek is an outstanding young man from right here in Baton Rouge who represents our program with tremendous character and a desire to make all of those around him better.

“He inspires his teammates to achieve great things on and off the field. He’s most deserving of wearing the No. 7 jersey in 2021 for the LSU Tigers. I know he will wear it with pride and will represent it well.”

Other LSU legends to wear the No. 7 include D.J. Chark, Leonard Fournette, Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson.

LSU football: Derek Stingley will rock the No. 7 this college season

This will be Stingley’s final college season. He projects as a top-five pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Even though he plays in the defensive backfield, Stingley could potentially go No. 1 overall if no quarterback prospect asserts himself for the top selection this season. If all goes according to plan, Stingley could outperform Mathieu, Peterson, Grant Delpit and Tommy Casanova this year.

While a multitude of LSU secondary players have worn the No. 7 jersey before, it has not always gone to a star defensive back, as illustrated by wide receiver Chark and running back Fournette wearing it before. Had he not opted out of the 2020 college football season, wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase would have worn the No. 7 jersey ahead of his junior year with the LSU football program.

Congratulations to Stingley for joining a very special brotherhood on the LSU football team.

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