New York Jets get a polarizing player in mini-mock by Mel Kiper Jr., Todd McShay
On a podcast with ESPN NFL insider Field Yates, draft gurus Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay ran through a mini-mock draft that covered the first five picks of the NFL draft.
That includes the New York Jets‘ selection at No. 4, where Kiper Jr. and McShay mocked LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. to New York.
1. Jaguars: DE Aidan Hutchinson
2. Lions: DE Kayvon Thibodeauk
3. Texans: LT Evan Neal
4. Jets: CB Derek Stingley, Jr.
5. Giants: LT Ikem Ekwonu@McShay13 & @MelKiperESPN do a mini-mock in the latest edition of First Draft.— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 13, 2022
“He’s got the oily hips, he’s got the top-end speed, he has the length that you need at the cornerback position … if you’re just going off of value and position need, I think Stingley makes the most sense,” McShay says.
Play: 👉 the Jet X Offseason Simulator
Acknowledging the concerns about Stingley, McShay says, “You got to go back and figure out the durability issues. Why wasn’t the production as good? He had six interceptions in 2019.”
As for the latter portion of that statement, McShay is referring to Stingley’s production drop-off after a breakout freshman season in 2019. Stingley had six interceptions and allowed a passer rating of 52.8 in 15 games that year. In 10 games the next two seasons, Stingley had no interceptions and allowed a passer rating of 86.6.
When it comes to the durability issues, Stingley was limited to 10 games throughout his sophomore and junior years due to various injuries, including foot and leg ailments.
Stingley and the Jets are a popular match among mock drafters. According to the website NFL Mock Draft Database, Stingley is the most commonly-mocked player to the Jets among 203 first-round mock drafts analyzed by the site, with 34.1% sending him to New Jersey.
