Texans CB Derek Stingley Jr. 'Seeing The Field At A Faster Rate'

An early self-evaluation prior to training camp has Houston Texans' cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. believing he is seeing the game "at a faster rate."

HOUSTON — The 2023 season could be a breakout year for Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. He is entering his second year with a new coach in DeMeco Ryans, who could create a defensive scheme made for Stingley's best on-field attribute as a lockdown corner.

If Stingley can stay healthy, the second-year defensive back could live up to the high expectations that made him a sought-after prospect coming out of LSU in 2022. And according to KPRC, Stingley will feel more confident when taking the field this season due to his improved understanding of the speed of the game.

"I feel like I’ve improved, and I’m seeing the whole field at a faster rate," Stingley said. "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."

Stingley had a solid rookie season despite missing the final six games due to a hamstring injury.

He was the only rookie cornerback who did not allow a touchdown while registering 43 tackles, five pass deflections and 1 sack. Stingley recorded his lone interception during the Texans' 13-6 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars when he picked off quarterback Trevor Lawrence's pass attempt to wide receiver Zay Jones.

Since the start of OTAs in May, Stingley's coaches and teammates have raved about his on-field play at the Houston Methodist Training Center. And their belief coincides with Stingley's self-evaluation with training camp less than two weeks away. 

"That's part of what this off-season program is," defensive coordinator Matt Burke said. "Sting has been able to do everything we've asked him to do. We're playing some different coverages and some different techniques than he played last year, and he's been good fitting into that stuff. I'm happy where he is, where he's been working."

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