Derek Stingley Jr.

Derek Stingley Jr. Heisman Trophy Odds & Analysis For 2020 Season

Written by on May 19, 2020

Of course, just one player who played primarily on defense has won a Heisman Trophy, but it’s completely realistic to see how LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. could be the next this year. Here are two props available to wager at Mybookie on Stingley’s Heisman Trophy chances and LSU’s 2020 college football season – assuming there is one – and an overview.

Derek Stingley Jr. Heisman Trophy Odds & Analysis For 2020 Season

Stingley is the son of former professional football and baseball player Derek Stingley and the grandson of late New England Patriots wide receiver Darryl Stingley. You may remember Darryl Stingley from when he paralyzed for the rest of his life at age 26 after a hit by Oakland Raiders’ safety Jack Tatum in a preseason game in Oakland on Aug. 12, 1978. Stingley, a first round pick of New England in 1973 out of Purdue, lived as a quadriplegic until he was 55 and died on April 5, 2007, in his native Chicago. Stingley Jr. was 5 years old when his grandfather died. Stingley Jr. was the No. 3 overall recruit in the country in the Class of 2019. It was always presumed he would go to LSU because he grew up in Baton Rouge and starred at the Dunham School. As a senior, he was named the Louisiana Gatorade Football Player of the Year. As a cornerback whose side teams largely stayed away from, Stingley made 35 tackles with two interceptions as a senior. As a receiver, he had 678 yards through the air (28.3 yards/catch) with eight TDs. He also managed 192 rushing yards (17.5 yards/carry) with four TDs. In addition to returning five kickoffs for TDs, Stingley also threw for a score. He finished his prep career with 27 interceptions, 17 pass breakups, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 15 kicks or punts returned for touchdowns. When asked if there is a player he looks up to or models his game after, Stingley said Patrick Peterson, referring to the LSU alumnus and Arizona Cardinals superstar. “That’s the only one I pay attention to.” Stingley started at cornerback for LSU as a true freshman last year and was perhaps the most impactful true freshmen in LSU history in earning consensus All-America honors. He led the SEC and ranked No. 5 nationally in interceptions with six and led the SEC and was No. 2 nationally in passes defended with 21. Stingley was named unanimous SEC Newcomer of the Year and first-team All-SEC. Stingley finished as the highest graded cornerback in the history of Pro Football Focus and beat out Ohio State’s Chase Young, the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, as the most valuable non-quarterback of the season. Stingley was one of the most battle-tested corners in the country. He saw a whopping 94 targets — second most among cornerbacks — but he managed to allow a 38.3% catch rate and produce a 91.9 PFF grade that ranked fifth and first, respectively, among players at his position. Of course, LSU won last season’s national title and QB Joe Burrow won the Heisman and was the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Burrow called Stingley Jr. “a rare breed” and “I think he’s one of the top five cornerbacks in the country. He would get drafted in the first round this year as a true freshman.” Safety Grant Delpit won the Thorpe Award last year for the Tigers as the nation’s top defensive back and was a second-round pick in the draft by Cleveland. He had this to say about Stingley Jr.: “He’s going to turn out to be one of the best defensive backs that have come through here.” Keep in mind that LSU is was where future NFL stars like Peterson, LaRon Landry, Jamal Adams and Tyrann Mathieu played.