Draft analyst shares ‘hottest name’ in NFL Draft
Apr 29, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announces the final pick of the 2021 NFL Draft for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at First Energy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Derek Stingley Jr. is considered by many to be the most talented cornerback in the NFL Draft, but his injury history is a big concern. Apparently there are several teams with high picks that are willing to take a chance on the former LSU star.
ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller said this week that Stingley is the “hottest name” in the upcoming draft. He believes the defensive back could go as high as No. 3 or No. 4 overall and will not fall out of the top 10.
2. Derek Stingley, Jr. is the hottest name in the draft. There is even buzz about him being a top 3 pick to either Detroit or Houston.
Said one scout when asked about his subpar 2020 season—"I'd have checked out on that team, too."
The Seahawks at 9 feel like a floor for him.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) April 22, 2022
Stingley had six interceptions in a huge freshman season at LSU in 2019. He had trouble staying on the field after that. He missed three games in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and did not play well, but Miller attributed that to the Tigers having a bad year overall. Stingley then suffered a Lisfranc injury last September and underwent season-ending surgery.
Most analysts believe Cincinnati’s Admad Gardner will come off the board before Stingley, but that may not be a foregone conclusion.
