By Anthony Licciardi
If the Houston Texans are going to be respectable this year, two things will have to happen. Davis Mills must avoid a sophomore slump and Derek Stingley Jr. must live up to the monumental expectations set for him.
First, he dominated Ja’Marr Chase at Louisiana State University practices. Then he was the best defender on one of college football’s greatest teams. Since, we’ve heard of on-field inconsistencies and medical question marks surrounding his name.
The pressure is on for Stingley to live up to his freshman hype. Getting drafted third overall and before Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, a cornerback prospect most expected to go before him, only adds to the pressure.
This is the part where I remind you that he’ll be the No. 1 cornerback on a barren wasteland of a defense. The odds aren’t in his favor, but a return to prominence could be the difference between a league-worst defense and one that raises eyebrows as an ascending unit.
Can Stingley live up to the sky-high expectations?
Houston will put him in position to make good things happen, literally. Head coach Lovie Smith envisions Stingley as a shadow for opponents’ top receivers. This year, that will likely include names like Michael Pittman Jr., Davante Adams, Terry McLaurin, and CeeDee Lamb. It’s clear they view him as a game changer.
Stingley offers a blend of instincts, athleticism, and ball skills that will have defensive coaches drooling. Having his pedigree and history of high-level play is still encouraging, even if he hasn’t necessarily remained atop that mountain.
The Texans will also show Jalen Pitre, a rookie safety from Baylor, a good amount of reps. Both Pitre and Stingley define “explosive” and can create turnovers at an enticing rate. Those turnovers could be crucial in keeping Houston afloat given the projected inconsistencies of the offense.
Another thing working for a strong rookie season is the Houston schedule. Thankfully, the AFC South is, well…not the AFC West. The Texans will see several stretches of games without an elite quarterback on the calendar. Even if their defense is vulnerable to aerial assaults, having “breaks” in the form of facing Tua Tagovailoa and similar passers is a nice perk.
Furthermore, DraftKings is offering a chance to increase your money tenfold. Stingley’s odds to win Defensive Rookie of the Year are listed at +1000, so a C-Note can net you $1,000 in profit. We’ve seen ballhawks generate incredible levels of excitement before, and a few errant passes could get the ball rolling for Stingley.
He’ll have an outside shot due to the propensity of edge rushers in this class, but a DROY-worthy season likely accelerates a Texan rebuild.