Cornerbacks Derek Stingley Jr., left, of the Texans and Sauce Gardner of the Jets, who were picked third and fourth, respectively, in the 2022 draft, will share an NFL field for the first time Sunday.
Brett Coomer / Staff photographer and Adam Hunger / Associated PressDerek Stingley Jr. started on his backpedal before effortlessly flipping his hips and taking off down the sideline. His black and lime green Nike Vapor Edge cleats launched him into the air, and he poached the football from the sky before landing softly on the grass.
Wednesday was just another day at the office for the Texans’ second-year cornerback as he went through drills at practice. But about an hour before he jogged onto the field, Stingley was bestowed with his most significant honor since entering the NFL.
After corralling two acrobatic interceptions for the Texans during a critical 22-17 victory over the Broncos on Sunday, Stingley was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his young career.
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It was yet another indicator that Stingley, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 draft, is certainly on track to live up to the lofty expectations placed on his shoulders coming out of LSU.
“For Stingley, my first interaction with him was all positive,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “He was battling back from injury, but I was seeing a young man who was here every day in the offseason working for this moment, and it shows. It’s showing up now. He put the work in during the offseason when not too many other people were around. He was here grinding, and that work is showing up.”
Stingley has powered through some adversity to get to this point. He suited up for just nine games as a rookie before being shut down with a hamstring injury. After the first two games of this season, Stingley again went on injured reserve with an ailing hamstring. After weeks of rigorous rehabilitation, he finally returned to the lineup at full strength in Week 10 against the Bengals and has delivered several big moments since.
Over the past three weeks, Stingley has surrendered just eight catches to opposing receivers and has collected four interceptions, raising his career total to five. He yielded just 39 receiving yards against the Jaguars two weeks ago, and Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson was 0-for-4 when throwing in his direction Sunday.
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Stingley’s play has the entire Texans organization commending his contributions. Quarterback C.J. Stroud called him a “generational talent” while appearing on the Pat McAfee Show this week. Ryans lauded him as “a top corner in this league.” Defensive end Will Anderson Jr., who also had a huge game against Denver, said Stingley’s playmaking ability on the back end has been paramount to the team’s defensive success.
“Derek, he’s been ballin’ — like nonstop ballin’,” Anderson said. “You see that in practice. He's a consistent player. He don’t speak much. Coach always tries to get him to speak, but man, he just wants to ball and have fun, and we’re super excited to have him.”
As the Texans (7-5) prepare for the struggling Jets (4-8) this week, the comparisons between Stingley and New York cornerback Sauce Gardner are undeniable. The two are linked because of their status in the 2022 draft. Stingley was taken by the Texans one pick before the Jets grabbed Gardner at No. 4.
While Stingley endured a less than ideal rookie year playing for a Texans team that finished 3-13-1, Gardner was making history.
Gardner was a first-team All-Pro last season and named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He became the first rookie cornerback to garner those honors since Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott in 1981. Gardner finished with two interceptions and 14 pass breakups, and opposing quarterbacks had an abysmal 53.5 passer rating when throwing in his direction.
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His breakout campaign came with plenty of adulation. In an obvious marketing match, he even landed an endorsement deal with Buffalo Wild Wings, which launched and promoted his signature “Sauce Sauce,” a smoky, sweet and spicy barbecue dressing.
Gardner, whose real first name is Ahmad, picked up the “Sauce” nickname from his youth football coach when he was 6 years old. The moniker stuck throughout his adolescence, and he proudly carried it with him during his college days at the University of Cincinnati.
Gardner seems to thrive in the limelight and is known for his trash talk on the field. He says his boisterous expressions are fueled by being doubted his whole life. He was a three-star recruit out of high school in Detroit, and none of college football's blueblood programs extended him an offer.
Stingley, soft-spoken and typically a man of few words, prefers to let his play on the field speak for him. He was a five-star recruit and started as a true freshman on the LSU team that won a national championship in 2019. But after that dream season, he was forced to battle through some adversity. Injury trouble limited him to 10 games total during his sophomore and junior seasons.
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When the 2022 draft rolled around, Gardner was coming off a College Football Playoff appearance with Cincinnati, while Stingley was still recovering from a torn ligament in his left foot.
Despite their different paths, personalities and playing styles, both were expected to be off the board early in the first round.
Ryans, the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers at the time, saw the limitless potential in both players.
“For Stingley and Gardner, from my scouting report coming out of the draft, you had both guys (who were) top corners,” Ryans said. “I think any team would be happy to have either guy. When I looked at them, it’s like, ‘Which one would you want? Whichever is the next one that’s available.’ So both guys, I think, have really bright futures ahead of themselves. Two young players who are impact players. Gardner has done some great things with the Jets, and Stingley here with us — he’s made some impact plays as well.
“So I think with both guys, you can’t go wrong, and I’m happy to be working with Stingley and just to see his growth. Week after week after week, to see the growth that Stingley has had, I’m really happy to see where he’s headed.”
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This season, Gardner has the third-highest coverage grade in the league among 119 eligible cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s been targeted 38 times and allowed 25 catches for 225 yards, an average of 20.4 yards per game.
“He’s got good footwork, he knows where he’s at on the field, route recognition, everything,” Stingley said. “And that goes for every corner that was drafted in our class, too. It’s a lot more people that were drafted. Everybody has their own positives, and you just use those to your advantage in the game.”
Stingley has certainly been using his positives this season. He has the 10th-highest coverage grade in the league among cornerbacks and is getting his hands on the ball at a high rate while matching up against some talented receivers.
“He’s just been taking that next step each and every week,” fellow Texans cornerback Steven Nelson said. “He’s being that player that everybody knows he can be.”
The Texans are on the fringe of the playoff picture in the AFC, and every game represents a chance to bolster their odds. If they’re able to break through to the postseason, Stingley’s high level of play on the perimeter will likely have a lot to do with it.
“I’m glad to be here,” Stingley said. “I’m sure everybody that’s here is glad to be here. We go out there as a team, and we walk back in here as a team. I’m glad to be a part of that.”
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Texans' Derek Stingley Jr., Jets' Sauce Gardner cover the gamut at CB - Houston Chronicle
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