CB, LSU
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 194 lbs
Class: Junior
Stingley enrolled at LSU as one of the most sought-after recruits in the 2019 class. A consensus five-star prospect, he was the top rated cornerback in the class and the No. 3 overall player in the country. He lived up to those expectations immediately, being voted an All-American as a freshman and helping the Tigers win a national championship. He now looks set to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and become a first round draft pick
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Strengths
Stingley’s biggest strength is his athletic profile. He ran a 4.30 40-yard dash out of high school. He also clocked a 4.28 short shuttle and a 42″ vertical jump. For context, he would have been the second fastest player in the 2021 class and would have had the sixth highest vertical. This athleticism shows up on tape too. Stingley possesses some of the quickest footwork in college football and pairs this with the fluid hips you want in a cornerback.
In addition to his athletic ability, Stingley offers a physical playstyle. It is this combination that helps to make him such a special prospect. He is one of the best press coverage corners you ever see at the college level and this is a trait that every NFL team will covet. His mirror ability is elite and his quick hands and play strength allow him to disrupt the releases of his opponent.
This collection of traits make him an exceptional man coverage corner, with all of the traits to be a true lockdown cornerback in the NFL. Stingley reads the game well and shows a good understanding of route combinations. He has the quickness to stick with any receiver downfield and has the recover ability to make up ground on the rare occasion that he is caught out of position. He also has the toughness and play strength to match up comfortably with bigger-bodied opponents.
Another big strength to Stingley’s game is his ball skills, with 26 forced incompletions on his 129 career targets. This includes six interceptions as a true freshman. He does a great job of tracking the ball downfield and displays great timing at the catch point. There are multiple examples on tape of Stingley making plays that other corners couldn’t begin to attempt.
Weaknesses
The main concern with Stingley is his durability. A niggling ankle injury plagued his 2020 season and he looked a notch below the player we saw in his true freshman season. The problems have continued into this season. Stingley missed preseason training with a foot injury and after just three games it required surgery. There is a good chance that he won’t play another snap for LSU. Teams will have legitimate concerns about whether or not he can stay on the field in the NFL.
In terms of on-field areas for improvement, the main issue with Stingley is his tackling. He has a habit of taking poor pursuit angles and his tackling technique could do with some work. He often throws his shoulder at opponents, which has resulted in him missing 17.9% of his career tackle attempts.
Bottom Line
Stingley is an exceptionally talented cornerback, with the traits and the production you want at the position. In terms of his on-field ability, he might be the most well-rounded cornerback we’ve seen in the last five years, perhaps even longer. He just needs to show that he can stay healthy and get back to the level of play he showed in his true freshman season. If he can, the sky is the limit for his NFL potential.
Projection: All-Pro cornerback
Role: Versatile outside cornerback, best suited to a press-man heavy scheme
Round projection: 1st round (top ten)
