Derek Stingley Jr. Falling? Could Commanders Draft At No. 11?

The Washington Commanders could be in line to land one of the top corners in the draft.

Derek Stingley Jr. burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2019 for the national champion LSU Tigers. Now, he is one of the top cornerbacks heading into the 2022 NFL Draft.

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Derek Stingley Jr.

Kendall Fuller

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William Jackson III

The Washington Commanders can go many ways with the 11th pick in the draft. They have been linked to wide receivers such as Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave to give Terry McLaurin some help on the outside. 

The Commanders also need help at linebacker, but there might not be one available that is worth an early first-round pick.

If Stingley Jr. is available, would it make sense for Washington to take the cornerback?

In a recent mock draft done by NFL.com, Washington landed Stingley Jr. because of the value that it would bring.

PFF charted Stingley's LSU career completion percentage allowed at 41.1. That kind of sticky coverage would be a huge boon to a Commanders defense that just allowed a 100.8 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks in 2021. Pairing Stingley with Kendall Fuller, who was the bright spot of this secondary last season, creates the most value.

Kendall Fuller played well for the Commanders down the stretch of the season. William Jackson III, who signed a three-year deal in free agency last offseason, also improved within the system. With Benjamin St-Juste healthy, the secondary for Washington looks deep.

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Kendall Fuller

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William Jackson III

Cynthia Frelund of NFL.com explains the scenario with Stingley Jr. next to Fuller. Washington would have other options. This includes keeping Jackson on the outside and having Fuller play in the slot, where he has excelled over the course of his career.

The Commanders could go many ways in the upcoming draft and that includes cornerback. If Stingley Jr. is there at No. 11, the front office might see it as a situation that is too good to pass up.