With two top-10 picks in the first round of the 2022 draft, the New York Jets can continue to rebuild their defense and give head coach Robert Saleh better players to orchestrate a group just as he did with the San Francisco 49ers. Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. would be a fantastic addition to reach this goal.

It’s been a while since the Jets used a first-round pick in a cornerback. They last did so in 2013, with another SEC cornerback, this being Dee Milliner from Alabama – while they used a lot of picks in pass rushers recently and stacked offense last year. With Stingley being such a talented player, it’s going to be hard to pass him.

The Jets and Stingley met during the official interviews period on Combine, another sign that this is a real possibility.

Stingley is a lockdown cornerback who got into the spotlight during LSU’s championship season in 2019 with 14 passes defended and 6 interceptions. He was quick to turn into a superstar and lockdown basically every single opposing receiver that went against him. He played in 10 games over the last two seasons – one that was marred because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other where he suffered with injuries.

Injuries are the main concern for the defender

Since we’ve talked about his injuries, it’s impossible not to point out the fact that Stingley is coming from a foot injury that kept him away from most of the 2021 season. He had surgery in September and should be ready for his new team’s offseason, but you should never ignore when a prospect had some health issue.

But that’s the only thing. When Stingley is on the field, his play speaks volumes. He should have no problems to translate into a great NFL corner, because his technique and his athleticism are both elite for a draft prospect. That’s the exact kind of player Robert Saleh needs to build around as he tries to make the Jets into a contender again.

It’s clear that New York needs a corner. But between Stingley and Ahmad Gardner, there should be no discussion about who’s better.