If artificial intelligence and algorithms are to be believed, then the Houston Texans’ selection of LSU cornerback Derek Stingley with the No. 3 overall pick in Round 1 of the 2022 NFL draft may not be so bad.
According to Pro Football Focus’ mock draft simulator, the selection of Stingley qualifies as an A-grade. Ryan Weisman fleshed out for PFF why the pick is efficacious for the Texans.
Almost any top-10 prospect could have gone here to fill any number of positions the Texans need. With positional need out of the picture, it came down to who was the best prospect. Derek Stingley Jr. is an extraordinary athlete at the cornerback position. He boasted a 91.7 PFF grade during his freshman year — the best in college football — only allowing 38.3% of completions while intercepting more passes than TDs allowed. Although his next two seasons were plagued with injuries contributing to lackluster production, the prospect of Stingley returning as an astonishing athlete with strong man-coverage skills is too much to pass up at third overall.
