Houston Texans’ CB Derek Stingley Jr. finally had his breakout season in the NFL in 2024, setting career highs in interceptions and tackles. He had played just 20 games throughout his rookie and sophomore seasons in 2022 and ’23. During this campaign, we saw glimpses of the cornerback’s true potential that saw him deliver one of the most dynamic rookie seasons in college football history with LSU. He was the “Travis Hunter” of his college days, believes Ryan Clark. Well, Stingley’s stats in 2019 paint a picture too.
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Notching up six interceptions, 15 pass defenses, and 17 punt returns in 2019, Stingley Jr. was a consensus All-American. And he had this natural ability to seemingly shine at whatever position he was asked to play. That prompted former Pittsburgh Steeler and fellow LSU alumni, Clark, to praise Stingley Jr. and compare him to the Colorado Buffaloes star.
“I feel like you could have been Travis Hunter before Travis Hunter,” Clark said on The Pivot Podcast.
The Hunter comparison, though, needs a nuanced introspection since Stingley Jr. did not end up playing both sides of the ball.
Stingley played 25 college games to Hunter’s 22. The LSU product collected 56 solo tackles and six interceptions, whereas Hunter managed 47 solo tackles and seven interceptions throughout his time in Colorado.
While Stingley Jr. did generate 284 all-purpose yards as a punt returner, Hunter dwarfs him in the receiving game. Tallying 1,979 receiving yards and 20 receiving touchdowns in just two seasons, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner is clearly the preferred candidate when it comes to throwing the ball.
Clark detailed how things could have been charted out differently for Stingley Jr. at LSU.
“Okay… he’s going to be the best corner in football, as a freshman, and he’s going to return… Then they’re going to work him into the offense as a sophomore because we are going to build a Heisman campaign for Sting. He’s going to wear number seven as a junior and he’s going to play offense and defense… I think he can do it,” Clark added.
Unfortunately, this remained just a plan in Clark’s head. Stingley Jr. excelled as a defender and though he could have probably been a two-way player, he did not want to do it just for the Heisman.
“It could’ve been done, but I wouldn’t have done it in hopes of getting a Heisman. I just would’ve done it because that’s what I had been doing,” explained Stingley Jr.
However, Clark was not too off with his analysis of Stingley Jr.’s potential. The former Tiger did mention that playing both sides of the ball came to him naturally.
“Growing up playing offense and defense, that’s what everybody did. High school, offense and defense, seven-on-seven… I’m thinking that’s my norm,” added Stingley.
However, an offensive debut in the NFL for Stingley Jr. seems relatively impossible at this point in time. So we’ll likely never know what his potential as a WR could be.
Hunter, meanwhile, is slated to be a top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Fans will at least get to find out who is the better defender between the two in the near future. Until then, they’ll be forced to ponder on the various “What if?” scenarios of Stingley’s career.
