LSU Football: Dave Aranda offers insanely high praise for Tigers defender

Former LSU football defensive coordinator Dave Aranda is a big fan of one the Tigers’ young defensive backs.

LSU football’s Derek Stingley Jr just finished his freshman season, but he’s already viewed as one of the best defensive players in the nation.

In fact, Baylor head coach Dave Aranda, who served as LSU’s defensive coordinator from 2016-19, recently suggested that Stingley Jr is the best cornerback he’s ever coached.

And he’s coached some good ones.

Aranda has also recently coached Tre’Davious White, Donte Jackson, Greedy Williams and Kristian Fulton (as pointed out on Twitter by The Athletic’s Brody Miller).

Putting Stingley Jr above those players, before he’s even turned 19 (he turns 19 in June), is some incredibly high praise.

But, I’d say the former five-star recruit deserves it.

As a true freshman in 2019, Stingley Jr earned a 91.9 coverage grade, which led all cornerbacks at the highest level of college football.

The Louisiana native also allowed only a 38 percent catch rate (on 96 targets), while compiling six interceptions and 15 passes defensed. As a result of Stingley Jr’s tremendous freshman season, he earned First Team All-SEC honors.

It’s honestly hard to believe that Stingley Jr is only going to be a sophomore in 2020. He already looks like a polished player that could excel in the NFL.

And he’s just going to get better.

Stingley Jr is a future top 10 pick in the NFL Draft. Tigers fans should be ecstatic they get two more years of the dynamic defensive back.