LSU's Stingley declares for 2022 NFL Draft

LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. will bypass his senior campaign and enter the 2022 NFL Draft, he announced via The Players' Tribune.

Stingley projects to be a top-10 pick and could be the first defensive back off the board.

The top-ranked cornerback recruit in 2019, Stingley began generating draft buzz the moment he stepped on campus. He hauled in six interceptions as a freshman while helping LSU capture the national championship and was named a consensus All-American at the end of the year.

Stingley followed up his debut campaign with a second straight All-SEC selection in 2020. He played just three games in 2021 because of a foot injury.

Stingley finishes his college career with 26 pass breakups and the half-dozen picks he came down with in 2019.