Texans take Stingley at No. 3 overall

The Houston Texans selected LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. with the No. 3 overall pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

It's the first time Houston has selected a player in the first round since picking offensive tackle Tytus Howard in 2019. The Texans traded their Round 1 selections in each of the past two years.

Stingley suffered a foot injury during the 2021 season, but he's fully recovered from the ailment, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The LSU star will join a secondary that struggled in pass coverage last season, allowing a passer rating of 94.1 to opposing quarterbacks. The Texans' cornerback depth chart also features Desmond King, Lonnie Johnson Jr., and Steven Nelson, the latter of whom joined the club this offseason.

Scouting profile: Derek Stingley Jr.

Stingley has faced plenty of questions after missing time and a slight dropoff in play over the last two years. But scouting departments shouldn't overthink this one. Trust what you saw in 2019 when his emergence as a true freshman for LSU's national championship team already had evaluators looking forward to him declaring as part of this draft class. Stingley is an elite cornerback prospect with the rare skill set necessary to match up with top receivers in press-man coverage. He can also thrive off the ball, where his route recognition and burst allow him to jump routes and make plays. This is the kind of player who can change a defense.