Derek Stingley Jr. Drafted by Texans: Houston's Updated Depth Chart After Round 1

The Houston Texans used the No. 3 overall pick of the 2022 NFL draft to add an impact player to their defense, selecting LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.

Despite missing most of the 2021 season, Stingley should slide immediately into the lineup for his new team in 2022. Here is the updated depth chart after the latest draft pick:

      

LDE: Ogbo Okoronkwo, Jordan Jenkins, Demone Harris

DT: Roy Lopez, Ross Blacklock, Michael Dwumfour

DT: Maliek Collins, Kingsley Keke

RDE: Jonathan Greenard, Derek Rivers

OLB:  Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Blake Cashman

ILB: Christian Kirksey, Neville Hewitt, Garret Wallow

OLB: Kamu Grugier-Hill, Kevin Pierre-Louis, Tae Davis

CB: Desmond King II, Tremon Smith, Reggie Robinson II

CB: Derek Stingley Jr., Lonnie Johnson Jr., Jimmy Moreland, Isaac Yiadom

FS: Terrence Brooks, Jonathan Owens 

SS: Eric Murray, Grayland Arnold

Depth chart info provided by Ourlads and Over the Cap.

      

The cornerback played just three games last season at LSU before being sidelined by a foot injury that cost him the rest of the year. The injury originally occurred in the summer, but Stingley underwent a procedure after struggling through the first few weeks.

Though some might have questions about the transition to the NFL after essentially a lost season, both Micah Parsons and Ja'Marr Chase showed an elite player can star even after missing a whole year at the college level.

Stingley has long been targeted as a first-round pick, coming into college as 247Sports' No. 3 recruit in the 2019 class before starring as a true freshman at LSU. The cornerback started all 15 games in his first year with the Tigers, tallying six interceptions en route to becoming a consensus All-American.

He was one of the top defensive players on a team that went 15-0 and won the College Football Playoff national championship.

Stingley's 2020 season wasn't quite as dominant as teams learned to avoid throwing in his direction, but he was still named first-team All-SEC despite finishing with zero interceptions.

At 6'0", 190 pounds, the cornerback has ideal size for the position and enough speed to match up with nearly anyone in the league.

Bleacher Report's Scouting Department listed Stingley as the top cornerback in the class and fourth-best overall.

If he plays to his potential, Stingley could give the Texans an instant boost in pass defense heading into 2022. 

The squad ranked 31st in the NFL in yards allowed last season and 27th in points allowed, meaning the team needs immediate talent to turn things around after producing a 4-13 record in 2021.