Why Texans Are Being Cautious With Rookie Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.

Viewed as an investment pick, the Texans aren't risking and regression from first-rounder Derek Stingley Jr. prior to Week 1 of the regular season

HOUSTON - Nick Caserio knew it was a risk to draft Derek Stingley Jr. third overall. Even with the highlight All-American season at LSU in 2019, his lingering injuries and limited production for two years certainly would have stopped most general managers from making the selection. 

Caserio isn't like most executives. His history of working throughout the front office and scouting department made him wise regarding dissecting talent. He viewed the 6-foot cornerback as a safe option for the Houston Texans, so why argue? 

Fast forward almost four months later and Stingley is finally practicing. No, he isn't going full speed yet, but that's Caserio's call. Slow and steady wins the race, and first-year Texans coach Lovie Smith isn't risking losing his No. 1 corner to a practice rep.

“He’s healthy,” Smith said Friday after training camp. “You see him running around. We had him doing a few plays. He’s got in some plays each day. He’s on schedule.”

From the get-go, the Texans had a plan for the defensive back's health. They knew he was going to be limited throughout OTAs and minicamp. And sure, there was a chance he still would be working a half speed once training camp began, but Stingley's film spoke for itself. 

Caserio has monitored Stingley's health since he arrived in Houston back in April. While working individual drills, the second-year GM has noticed Stingley's testing and numbers. He believes at this point they could be "better than anybody on the team."

"It’s about one day at a time, making progress that day, turning the page to the next day and stacking days on top of each other," Caserio said. 

Smith fell in love with Stingley's intangibles when he and Caserio traveled to Baton Rouge for LSU's Pro Day. Even at a limited capacity, the junior shined in front of scouts, posting an impressive 4.37 40-time and showing fluidity in coverage when coming out of his breaks. 

Smith has preached the importance of having a bonafide No. 1 cornerback for his system since being hired to replace David Culley. Re-signing Desmond King and adding veteran Steven Nelson wasn't enough for the Texans, especially after allowing an average of 242.2 yards in coverage per game. 

Caserio has viewed the current draft class as an investment in the team's future. Any chance a player isn't fully healthy likely means they'll start the season on the PUP list. 

Prospects such as tight end Teagan Quitoriano (knee) and cornerback Tristin McCollum (shoulder) both are currently inactive. Second-round receiver John Metchie III is not expected to play this year after he was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia.

"This isn’t about football. Honest to God, I don’t care about football. We don’t care about football," Caserio said of Metchie. "It’s just about him recovering and him being able to lead a good life, and then we’ll see where we end up here at some point.”

Stingley will suit up this season. According to Smith, he should be cleared to play Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts barring any setbacks. If there's regression, expect him to sit. 

Houston has turned its attention to long-term goals. Stingley is arguably the prized jewel of that sentiment. He's the Texans' first Day 1 selection since offensive lineman Tytus Howard in 2019. He also plays one of the more important positions in the league today. 

In small waves, Stingley has improved. Nelson told reporters that the rookie caused an interception in practice on Tuesday. Receiver Brandin Cooks said Stingley reminds him of a certain cornerback from another roster he played on before arriving at NRG Stadium. 

Any guesses? Before being traded in 2020, Cooks was a member of the Los Angeles Rams. Before that, he was in New England with the Patriots. One roster featured All-Pro corner Jalen Ramsey while the other employed Stephon Gilmore. 

Comparing the rookie to either player is a massive task to live up to, but scouts raved of Stingley's skills when he was 18 defending players like Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase in the swamp heat of Louisiana. 

Smith isn't concerned with Stingley's limited reps in practice hampering his from making an instant impact. Neither is Caserio. The two knew he would be a work in progress returning from injury. 

The potential reward justified the pick. 

"Stingley eventually will get there," Smith said. "You can look at video and see he’s an elite athlete, got all the skills you’re looking for in a cornerback. His intellect. His brain. He gets it, just like that."