Getty LSU defensive back Derek Stingley Jr questioning a call on the football field.
The New York Jets may look inferior now at 2-6 compared to the rest of the NFL, but they will be the king of kings this offseason when they’re strapped with an overflowing amount of NFL draft capital.
When that time inevitably comes, the green and white will have an opportunity to flip the narrative in the 2022 NFL draft:
- Two first-rounders (their own and the Seattle Seahawks)
- Two second-rounders (their own and the Carolina Panthers)
- A third-rounder (their own)
- A pair of fourth rounders (Seahawks and the Minnesota Vikings)
- Two fifth rounders (their own and the Pittsburgh Steelers)
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A Puzzle Piece Fit for the Green and White
This week Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report broke down seven NFL draft prospects and matched them with their “perfect fits” at the next level. For the Jets he paired them with a talented defensive back out of LSU:
“Adding LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr. would immediately give New York a high-end cover corner on the back end. Stingley, who logged five pass breakups and 19 solo tackles in 2020, is one of the best overall prospects in this class, though he’s been out since mid-September following foot surgery.”
The Jets haven’t had a true lockdown No. 1 corner since Darrelle Revis hung up his cleats back in 2017. If you have one of those elite few on your roster, it can totally change the dynamic on the defensive side of the ball.
Stingley has size (6-foot-1, 195 pounds), fantastic athleticism, and as a former wide receiver, he possesses a quality you can’t teach: a feel for the game.
With that experience as a former offensive playmaker, he seemingly knows what the opposing wide receiver is going to do before the wideout even realizes.
Although his most attractive quality and why he’d be such a perfect fit with the Jets is his versatility. Throughout his collegiate career to date, Stingley has played outside corner, safety, press, and off coverage.
The LSU star is a chess piece that can be moved all over the field and could stabilize the backend of the defense for Gang Green. A cornerback pairing of Bryce Hall and Stingley could end up being one of the best in the NFL in a few years.
Some Fascinating History With This Potential Move
The Jets have two first-round picks in the upcoming 2022 NFL draft, but to land Stingley, they’ll have to cash in the better of those picks, which is likely to be their own.
The green and white haven’t drafted a cornerback in the first round since 2013 when they took Dee Milliner out of Alabama.
Since 1995, Gang Green has only taken three corners in the first round:
- Milliner, Alabama, 2013
- Kyle Wilson, Boise State, 2010
- Revis, Pittsburgh, 2007
Joe Douglas has run two drafts since being hired as the general manager of the Jets. In the first two rounds of those drafts, he has taken an offensive player five out of five times and hasn’t yet invested in the defensive side of the ball.
It’s time for Douglas to do a solid for his defensive-minded head coach in Robert Saleh.
The Jets already have their franchise quarterback (Zach Wilson), left tackle (Mekhi Becton), and a budding offense. On defense, they have a lot of inspiring stories featuring several overachievers, but it’s time to mix in some elite blue-chip talent.
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