LSU's Derek Stingley Jr. Reportedly Won't Work Out at 2022 NFL Scouting Combine

LSU star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. reportedly will not work out at this week's NFL Scouting Combine as he recovers from a Lisfranc injury that required surgery during the season, per the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. 

Stingley is planning to work out on his April 6 pro day, however. 

The junior played in just three games for LSU this past season, registering eight tackles and a forced fumble. But he had already emerged as one of the top defensive backs in the country during his freshman and sophomore campaigns, posting 65 tackles, six interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. 

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein has compared him to Carolina Panthers star cornerback Stephon Gilmore, calling him a "uniquely gifted cornerback with rare blend of size, speed and explosiveness that will have teams willing to judge his upside off of tape from two seasons ago."

"He's so much bigger than people realize," a scout for an AFC team told Zierlein. "I think he played too heavy in 2020, but his best pro weight is going to be around 205 pounds and he's still really fast at that weight." 

The concern with the 6'1", 195-pound Stingley is that he's played just 10 games the past two seasons and hasn't notched an interception since his six-pick freshman year. There are also consistency concerns. 

The NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah, meanwhile, ranked Stingley as his No. 15 overall prospect on his latest big board, noting he has "all of the tools to be an elite cover man, but he needs to play with more urgency and aggression."

Stingley seems very likely to be selected in the first round based on his potential and tools, and missing the combine shouldn't affect his draft stock, especially if he has an impressive pro day.