Houston Texans cornerbacks coach Dino Vasso has seen plenty of Derek Stingley.
The Texans selected Stingley with the No. 3 overall pick in Round 1 of the 2022 NFL draft. The former LSU cornerback was transitioning to the NFL while recovering from a Lisfranc injury that limited him to three games.
Stingley handled the challenge of adapting to the pro game while putting the finishing touches on his rehabilitation.
Through the first three games of the season, Vasso has seen Stingley handle the variable nature of life as a cornerback in a league that heavily favors the offense and the passing game.
“Extremely impressed with Sting,” Vasso told reporters Sept. 29. “Most impressed by his demeanor on game day, his ability to put plays behind him, be it good or bad. He’s a guy that deals with success and adversity extremely well.”
Vasso also indicated that the way to evaluate a player is by how they handle the ebbs and flows of the game.
“That goes to show with his stoic personality, just doesn’t get too high or too low,” said Vasso. “That’s really how you judge someone’s character, how they are in the highs and lows. He’s showed that over the first couple of weeks.”
Stingley has 18 combined tackles, three pass breakups, 1.0 sack, and a quarterback hit through three games, all of which he has started.
