Latest news with #DerekStingleyJr.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Texans All-Pro CB Derek Stingley Jr. ranked inside the top-32 by PFF
Texans All-Pro CB Derek Stingley Jr. ranked inside the top-32 by PFF Derek Stingley Jr. proved that his rise in 2023 was just the beginning. Last season, the former No. 3 overall pick proved he was an elite shutdown defender who might be considered among the best players in the league for the 2025 season as the Houston Texans look to compete for a spot in the AFC Championship game. Coming off an All-Pro season, Stingley totaled five interceptions (tied for sixth most), 18 pass breakups (second most) and allowed the second-lowest completion percentage among cornerbacks with at least 200 coverage snaps (46.7%), according to NFL Next Gen Stats in 2024. That led to a new three-year, $90 million extension this offseason, making Stingley the highest-paid cornerback in the league with an annual $30 million salary. But while Stingley might have the respect from the Texans, is he the No. 1 cornerback entering 2025 based on projections? Not according to Pro Football Focus, which listed him as the No. 5 defensive back behind New York's Sauce Gardner, Denver's Pat Surtain II, Kansas City's Trent McDuffie and Chicago's Jaylon Johnson. "After a poor rookie season, Stingley has generated a 90.3 PFF coverage grade over the past two seasons — the best mark among all cornerbacks," John Koso wrote. "The 2022 No. 3 overall pick plays a high-risk, high-reward brand of football and threads that needle well, as his 12 interceptions across the past two years lead the league." Even after a down rookie season, Stingley made up for the lack of production with two Pro Bowl-caliber seasons. Fully healthy, he's been the definition of consistent when asked to line up in man coverage and an enforcer in one-on-one battles against top receivers. The highest-paid defensive back should begin the season as the top name opposite Kamari Lassiter in the AFC. In time with another dominant campaign, he should land no lower than No. 2 and compete with Surtain for Defensive Player of the Year accolades for the long haul. The Texans open the season against Davante Adams and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 7.
USA Today
26-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL experts give mixed grade on Texans selection of USC DB Jaylin Smith
NFL experts give mixed grade on Texans selection of USC DB Jaylin Smith Jaylin Smith is a solid defensive player, but where will he line up for the Houston Texans long-term? "If you saw Jaylin play in the perimeter formation; saw him play inside that formation," Texans general manager Nick Caserio said Friday evening. "Frank [Ross] thinks he can have an opportunity with the kicking game with his speed and toughness to maybe help us on the perimeter, whether it's on punt coverage or kickoff coverage." Smith, the final pick of Day 2 for Houston in the 2025 NFL Draft, might end up being a promising defender and quality depth piece for the Texans this fall. He'll have to meet expectations since Houston traded picks Nos. 102 and 142 to Minnesota to get picks Nos. 97 and 187. A three-year do-it-all defender, Smith started 31 of the 32 games since 2022. A native of Palmdale, Smith played nickel, outside corner and safety for the Trojans in his first two seasons before moving to the outside during his senior years. In 2024, excelled as an open-field tackle, recording 58 stops with two interceptions and two pass breakups under first-year defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn. Smith's 82.6 defensive grade for defense from Pro Football Focus was the second-best mark on the Trojans behind only linebacker Eric Gentry. While Smith is a solid player, most experts were perplexed that Houston would move up to draft a defensive back after trading for C.J. Gardner-Johnson earlier in the offseason. And with other needs feeling more pressing, plus the cost to move up five spots, some think Caserio might have over drafted a player who would have been in play at No. 102. Here is what some experts think about the Texans' selection of Ersery. Cornerback didn't shape up as a particular area of concern for a secondary that already boasts Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter and nickel Jalen Pitre. Smith might be pigeonholed to working inside and sticking underneath, but he can add depth. Houston didn't have a glaring need at defensive back after signing Derek Stingley Jr. and Jalen Pitre to long-term deals. Even if they did, Smith is likely a nickel-only cornerback due to his small stature (5-foot-10, 187 pounds). He's fast but this is a huge reach for a team that could use resources elsewhere. Shorter, compact CB without plus length yet a feisty style in man coverage. Quick feet and loose hips. There are times he takes an extra split second to close on the football. Mirroring is a clear plus to his game. Willing but very inconsistent tackler. Small tackling radius and can get bullied by bigger WRs blocking him. Good ball skills that come from body contortion. Limits to his game but an overachieving type. Smith can help Jalen Pitre at nickel since the latter has dealt with injuries. Meanwhile, Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter have the outside locked down. Smith can play any of the cornerback spots, which creates more flexibility along the Texans' secondary.
USA Today
09-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tracking Texans' top 30 visits ahead of 2025 NFL draft
Tracking Texans' top 30 visits ahead of 2025 NFL draft Like most teams, the Houston Texans can host up to 30 prospects for official pre-draft visits before the 2025 NFL draft that aren't in the Greater Houston area. These are called "top 30" visits or "30 visits." The team can use the visits to take a closer look at a top prospect, build out the scouting report on a lesser-known player, or help recruiting efforts on a potential undrafted free agent. More and more, the Texans are drafting or eventually signing players who visited Houston before the draft or met with the team during the NFL Scouting Combine. In 2021, the Texans drafted five of the 30 players who visited. A year later, Houston drafted four more, including future All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. at No. 3 and nickel defender Jalen Pitre. In 2023, the Texans used both first-round picks on C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr., who visited the franchise on the same weekend with two weeks remaining before on the clock. In 2024, Houston drafted four pre-draft visitors and signed another as an undrafted free agent. Here's a tracker of the Texans' reported pre-draft visits in 2025: Washington State WR Kyle Williams South Carolina DL T.J. Sanders Texas WR Matthew Golden Note: Because Golden grew up in the Greater Houston area, his visit does not count against the Texans' top 30 prospects. Oregon OT Josh Conerly Jr. Texas WR Isaiah Bond Miami TE Elijah Arroyo William & Mary OT Charles Grant Texas DL Alfred Collins Ohio State RB Quinshon Judkins Alabama OL Tyler Booker Texas RB Jaydon Blue
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texans CB Derek Stingley Jr. 'ready to get back into it' after inking new extension
What did Houston Texans defensive back Derek Stingley Jr. do to celebrate his new three-year, $90 million extension? Did he take a trip to Euproe? Did he buy his family a new house? 'I had me some crawfish," Stingley said Wednesday. "That was about it.' It's back to the lab for Stingley, Houston's top defensive player and anchor for a unit that carried the AFC South champions back to the divisional round. He'll earn $30 million annually once the contract kicks in in 2026. He'll be locked down with the franchise through 2029 as the face of Houston's secondary and one of the league's top defenders. He's worth every penny, too. After being fully healthy for the first time since his freshman season at LSU, Stingley reached new heights in coverage. He was voted first-team All-Pro and earned his first Pro Bowl selection after finishing second in pass breakups (18) and top 10 in interceptions (five). Stingley's standout game against the Miami Dolphins while shadowing All-Pro Tyreek Hill cemented him as a game-changer. His two interceptions and five deflections outing in Houston's playoff win over the Los Angeles Chargers proved he was elite. The new highest-paid DB in NFL history 💰$90 million for Derek Stingley Jr. 🐝 — NFL (@NFL) March 17, 2025 "Every single year it seems like I've gained their trust more,' Stingley said. "[The coaching staff is] allowing me to be comfortable with who I am, whether that's on the field or off the field. So, there was never any pressure to be this person or be that person. So, I think it's pretty cool. They actually believe in me.' Stingley believes this is only the start for the Texans. After adding defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins and trading for do-it-all defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Houston's top-10 defense should only improve in every metric. It's something the third-year defensive back expects to see no later than midseason. "We are the standard, really. But I feel like it's just going to add another level of, 'We're here. This is our defense, this is the way we play football,'" Stingley said. "So, think it's going to be good.' Derek Stingley Jr. really only cares about one thing:'I mean it's cool. The market is different now, but that doesn't really have anything to do with me really but.. I'm just here to play football.'🎥 @KHOU / @HoustonTexans — Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) March 19, 2025 Stingley's mindset has never been built around being the highest-paid defensive back. He wants to play football, improve his production and help Houston win a title. Now signed, that's the only priority for Stingley. Everything now is about working. 'It's time to start playing football,' Stingley said. 'I'm ready to get back into it. That's really it." This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans CB Derek Stingley Jr. ready 'get back to it' after extension
USA Today
20-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Derek Stingley Jr. shares hilarious moment about his contract extension with Texans.
Derek Stingley Jr. shares hilarious moment about his contract extension with Texans. Father-son moments can be special throughout a lifetime. Telling you're All-Pro defensive back kid that he's the highest-paid player at his position has to be considered a top-three moment in the Stingley household since it's a one-in-a-quintillion chance of happening ever in the universe. Derek Stingley Jr.'s on-field play in 2024 was always going to get him a lucrative contract. He knew his success would eventually make him one of the highest-paid players in the league, even if the ultimate goal was and still is to win a Super Bowl. But surprisingly, Stingley wasn't even the first person to know he had just agreed to terms on a new three-year, $90 million extension that would make him the league's highest-paid cornerback. Instead, Stingley's father, Derek Sr., picked up the phone while the younger Sting was working out to talk to agent David Mulugheta. 'Like halfway through the workout, he was like, 'Dude, guess what?'' Stingley Jr. jokingly said during Wednesday's press conference. 'I was like, 'What.' He was like 'Deal is done.' And I just went, 'What, that's crazy.' I was just saying, 'That's crazy.'' That's the world of Stingley: focused on the prize and hardly fazed by his Dad being the one to find out first that he's getting $30 million annually. Most people would be freaking out, buying new cars and taking the family out for an expensive meal. Stingley, a native of Louisiana, he went a more traditional route to celebrate the contract extension. 'I had me some crawfish," Stingley said. Crawfish sounds good, but $30 million sounds better. Stingley earned that deal after coming off an All-Pro season in which he had five interceptions (tied for sixth most in the NFL) and 18 pass breakups (second most). The former No. 3 overall pick allowed the second-lowest completion percentage among cornerbacks with at least 200 coverage snaps (46.7%), according to NFL Next Gen Stats. That's the type of talent Houston needs if it plans on winning a title behind third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud. And Stingley? He's just getting started, and so is the defense. "I feel like we're going to be standard – we are the standard, really," Stingley said. "But I feel like it's just going to add another level of, 'We're here. This is our defense, this is the way we play football.' So, think it's going to be good.'
