Texans Derek Stingley Jr. is 'Seeing Whole Field at Faster Rate'

The Houston Texans defense is bolstered by a solid young corps, and Stingley Jr. says he's ready to take a next step, per KPRC 2.

The Houston Texans ranked 30th in points allowed per game, 31st in yards given up and 32nd in yards per play in 2023, floundering on the defensive side of the ball.

Now under the direction of DeMeco Ryans and having added veterans like Jimmie Ward, it's up to the mixture of new blood and young core players to step up.

One of those young returners the organization will lean on is Derek Stingley Jr., who told KPRC 2 that he'll be a different player this fall.

"I feel like I’ve improved and I’m seeing the whole field at a faster rate,” Stingley Jr. told the outlet. “I could kind of see it last year and in the years before that, but Year One to Year Two, you can see the pace a little bit more. Nothing’s really unexpected. Nothing really catches you off-guard anymore. I mean, it’s nice.”

Stingley Jr. missed almost half of the 2022 season due to a hamstring injury, and the Texans never saw the rookie at his full potential.

He logged just 43 tackles, one sack and an interception for nine yards from the corner position in nine games. This came after being drafted No. 3 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft from LSU.

During his time as a Tiger, Stingley Jr. helped the school to a national championship in 2019 while earning All-American honors that year with 38 tackles, 15 pass deflections and six interceptions.

The hope is that the 22-year-old can shake his recent injury struggles and have a bounce-back sophomore campaign in 2023. And if Stingley Jr. feels adjusted to the pace of play, that's a good start. 

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