How Derek Stingley Jr. fared in his rookie year with the Houston Texans

Derek Stingley Jr. was the lone first-rounder to come out of LSU in the 2022 NFL Draft. He was LSU’s top defensive draft pick since 2009 when DL Tyson Jackson also went No. 3 overall.

Stingley had been viewed as a first-round pick since his standout freshman year in 2019, where he wasn’t just the best freshmen DB in the country, but the best overall. He demonstrated elite ball skills and had the athleticism to make an impact in the return game.

Injuries in 2020 and 2021 prevented Stingley from matching his 2019, but the talent remained. Stingley dealt with more injury issues as a rookie, missing time with a hamstring injury.

Let’s take a look at how Stingley performed when he was on the field.

Stats

(AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Games played: 9

PBU: 4

INT: 1

Targets: 49

Catches allowed: 33

Yards allowed: 414

Passer rating allowed: 84.9

Breaking down the numbers

(AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Cornerback stats are tricky. It’s not always easy to identify the players assignment, meaning some numbers lack context. But on the whole, they’re good enough to tell us some things.

It was a tale of two halves for Stingley. He was targeted 19 times in his first two games. 25 of those allowed catches came over the first five weeks. In his final four games, he allowed just eight catches.

Stingley was one of just two rookie corners who played 300 snaps to not allow a touchdown. There was a lot to like, but he was middle of the road among rookie corners in several categories.

Highlights

Here are some of Stingley’s best moments from 2022.

What to expect in 2023

AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Stingely showed promise in 2022, but considering where he was selected, the Texans will be expecting a breakout soon. He’s the potential young star they hope to build that defense around.

The injury concerns aren’t going away. Stingley has now missed time three years in a row.

Stingley broke out at a young age, which should offer fans a lot of hope. It’s difficult to see a guy who was that good as a true freshman falling flat in the NFL. If Stingley takes the time to get healthy this off-season, he could be primed to put it all together in 2023.

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Story originally appeared on LSU Tigers Wire