Derek Stingley Jr. impresses during his pro day at LSU, ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft

The defensive back, affected by a drop in production in the last couple of years, is confident that NFL teams “know what I am” after his exhibition in Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE — The cornerback of LSU, Derek Stingley Jr.said he felt that he showed the teams of the NFL that “nothing has changed over these couple of years”, and that “I’m still me, everything will be fine”, after an impressive session in his pro day this Wednesday.

Stingleya potential recruit of the Top-10 for him 2022 NFL Draft who underwent surgery to repair a Lisfranc injury to his left foot last September, posted times of 4.37 and 4.44 seconds in the 40-yard dash and a vertical jump of 38.5 inches, according to university data. Teams of the NFL attendees clocked times between the mid 4.3s and low 4.4s on their first try, according to some scouts in attendance. Stingley he also garnered praise for how well he moved in positional exercises.

Stingley did not perform position exercises during the NFL scouting combine last month in indianapolis. She said she wasn’t medically cleared to do full-speed work until about three weeks ago, and started feeling 100 percent in the last couple of days.

The 6-foot, 190-pound defensive back said he knows “I can outrun a 4.3,” but overall he felt good about his performance. He will start visiting teams over the next couple of weeks, heading into the draft. He estimated to have about nine scheduled visits.

“I feel good now. I don’t even feel like I got hurt in the first place,” he reported. Stingleywho explained that he originally suffered Lisfranc’s injury on the first day of camp last summer, before playing with her in the first three games and aggravating the situation to the point where he required surgery.

The draft analyst for ESPN, Todd McShaydescribed to Stingley as a “difficult evaluation”, while he projected it for the minnesota vikings with the 12th overall pick in their most recent first-round simulation. Stingley enjoyed a sensational 2019 season as a freshman on the varsity national championship team LSUearning second-team honors All-America with six interceptions and 21 passes defensed. But then his production dropped with zero interceptions during the COVID-19-affected 2020 season, and his injury-plagued 2021 season.

The draft analyst for ESPN, Mel Kiper Jr. agreed that “there will be questions about his level with ups and downs,” while ranking him ninth overall in his most recent overall standings, but predicted that “teams in the NFL they’ll see more good movies than bad, and they’ll pick you based on your ceiling.”

Stingley He said he’s not worried about how teams view his last two seasons because “they know what I am.”

When asked specifically about being seen having conversations with the head coach of Los Angeles ChargersBrandon Staleybefore and after his session this Wednesday, Stingley replied, “His whole reason, he told me, for coming all the way out here, was to see if he still had the determination and just the strength to go out there and do it. And when he saw it, he said that’s what he expected to see. people tried to see.

Stingley He said he’s not focused on where he’s going in the draft. But, he wasn’t shy about sharing the huge goal for his career. NFL.

“I want to be the greatest of all, of all,” he said. Stingley.