NFL Draft: Top CB Derek Stingley Jr. makes amazing recovery
By John Buhler
A fully healthy Derek Stingley Jr. makes for one incredible NFL Draft prospect at cornerback.
LSU football star Derek Stingley Jr. has fully recovered from his Lisfranc injury, which will allow him to be a full participant in his alma mater’s pro day on Wednesday ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Entering last college season, Stingley was a lock to go top five in this spring’s draft. Unfortunately, LSU had another down year, resulting in former head coach Ed Orgeron’s termination. As for Stingley, the former freshman phenom leaves Baton Rouge a bit beat up and his draft stock knocked down a peg. Should he have a strong pro day on Wednesday, he could go in the top 10.
If Stingley is able to stay healthy, whatever team drafts him has a shot at landing an All-Pro talent.
#LSU CB Derek Stingley Jr., one of the top CBs in the draft, has recovered fully from his Lisfranc injury and will do all drills during his Pro Day on Wednesday, source said. A month after Dr. Robert Anderson cleared him, Stingley has been running fast in training. ⏱
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 4, 2022
LSU football star Derek Stingley Jr. will be a full participant at his pro day
As a true freshman, Stingley went up against the likes of Ja’Marr Chase every day at LSU practice. Of all the stars to come out of DBU in recent years, Stingley has the chance to be the best one since perhaps Tyrann Mathieu. Not to say there is any serious bust potential with him as a pro prospect, but whoever ends up drafting him could be getting the next Jalen Ramsey at cornerback.
Every year, there are only a handful of hall-of-fame-level talents coming off the board in the first 32. Some are obvious, but others need to go to the right situation for all that potential to be tapped into. However, a fully healthy Stingley has all the traits of a shutdown corner in this league. He would make a bad secondary good and a good one elite well before the end of his first contract.
Even though Stingley has been medically cleared to be a full participant in his LSU pro day, he could slip a few spots further than expected. While he is absolutely going top 16 and probably top 12, this guy has top five talent. One would think a team with multiple first-round picks like the talent-poor New York Giants or New York Jets would make Stingley one of their two top-10 picks.
The teams that pass on Stingley in the early part of the first round will probably regret doing so.
Next. Best college football duos of the modern era. dark
For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.