NFL Mock Draft 2022: Derek Stingley Jr.’s top consensus landing spots

For some, LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. has been the consensus CB1 of this 2022 NFL Draft class since his phenomenal freshman season in 2019. However, scouring the 2022 NFL Mock Draft landscape reveals that there’s no such thing as a consensus landing spot for the talented Tiger. Where might Stingley land in April?

NFL Mock Draft 2022: PFN’s top consensus landing spots

Having logged 15 pass deflections and 6 interceptions as part of LSU’s 2019 National Championship-winning team, the sky appeared to be the limit for Stingley. However, a less productive sophomore season — coupled with some subpar tackling and season-ending surgery in 2021 — has raised question marks about his stock. As a result, he has multiple landing spots and draft ranges across the 2022 NFL Mock Draft landscape.

In one of the more recent 2022 NFL Mock Drafts at Pro Football Network, Dalton Miller sees Stingley as the first cornerback off the board. Miller sends the LSU cornerback to the New York Giants at No. 7 overall. Currently shopping starter James Bradberry on the trade market, the Giants could be looking for a cornerback come April.

Meanwhile, in his 2022 2-Round NFL Mock Draft, James Fragoza sees Stingley sliding slightly south of the top 10 picks in April. Taken with the 12th overall selection by the Minnesota Vikings, Stingley is the second cornerback off the board. After a recent history of disappointment at the position, there’s a clear need for the Vikings.

Finally, Pro Football Network NFL Draft Director Cam Mellor has Stingley slipping further still. In his 7-Round 2022 NFL Mock Draft, Mellor sends Stingley to the New England Patriots with the 21st overall pick. An example of the uncertainty over Stingley due to his injury, he’s the fourth cornerback off the board in this mock.

Where does Derek Stingley Jr. land on other draft boards?

On the latest Pro Football Network Top 300 Big Board, Stingley lands as the 12th overall prospect. Once considered far and away from the top cornerback prospect in the class, he’s fallen behind Clemson’s Andrew Booth Jr. as the standard-bearer in the class. But is this sentiment shared across 2022 NFL Mock Drafts throughout the industry?

ESPN Draft Analyst Mel Kiper Jr. sees a similar scenario for Stingley as PFN’s Fragoza. In his latest mock draft, Kiper has the LSU cornerback headed to the Vikings. Kiper notes: “This is the position Minnesota needs most, and Stingley could be worth it.”

Meanwhile, another ESPN Draft Analyst — Todd McShay — has Stingley remaining as an early first-round prospect. However, as with the PFN consensus, he doesn’t see the LSU prospect as the first cornerback off the board. McShay pairs Stingley with the New York Jets, a common landing spot for a team whose roster lacks a lockdown cornerback.

As you can see, Stingley still boasts first-round potential. Furthermore, there are multiple analysts who still believe that the impressive junior will still be the first cornerback taken in the 2022 NFL Draft. However, he’s far from the consensus top prospect at the position.

Will Derek Stingley Jr.’s draft stock change after his NFL Combine performance?

This is somewhat of a trick question. Stingley announced prior to the 2022 NFL Combine that he wouldn’t take part in drills during the week in Indianapolis. That said, the LSU cornerback did meet with the media and engaged in team interviews. During the media availability, the confident cornerback gave his opinion on his draft stock.

“I know myself, and I know that when I’m at the best version of myself, I’m the greatest.”

Stingley also poured water over the assertion that his sophomore season didn’t live up to the same standard that he set during his outstanding freshman campaign.

“Going into my second year, and throughout my second year, I felt it was just as good as my freshman year,” Stingley said. “Freshman year, I had over 90 targets. Sophomore I had 30. If anything, that should say I was doing my job.”

There’s no denying that on his day, Stingley possesses otherworldly ball skills and insane athletic upside. Sadly, we’ll have to wait until the LSU Pro Day on April 6 — one of the last of the cycle — to establish whether he’s fully recovered and back to his athletic best. Until then, his projection in 2022 NFL Mock Drafts will continue to fluctuate.