LSU's Derek Stingley, Jr., Goes Early in Draft

The LSU Tigers didn't have to wait too long for their first player to come off the NFL Draft board. That Tiger will only be moving five hours west along Interstate 10.

With the third overall pick of the 2022 draft, the Houston Texans selected LSU cornerback Derek Stingley, Jr.

Stingley, who stands 6'1" and weighs 190 pounds, caught attention for his skills immediately out of high school.

At LSU, he continued to attract attention and became known as one of the nation's top lockdown corners. His talents were on full display in 2019, as Stingley helped LSU to a 15-0 season and a national championship. The two-time All-America selection is the 49th LSU player ever to be selected in the NFL Draft. He's also the third top-five pick from the 2019 national championship team.

The Baton Rouge native and Dunham School graduate becomes the second member of his family to reach the National Football League. His grandfather, Darryl Stingley, was a wide receiver for the New England Patriots until he suffered a career-ending injury that left him paralyzed.

Stingley also has ties to Southwestern Louisiana. His mother hails from the Lake Charles area.

Seven Forgotten Facts About Lafayette

The area now known as downtown Lafayette was first settled 200 years ago. While the street grid of that original settlement is the same as it was then, the rest of the city has grown and changed exponentially. Let's take a look at some of those changes by taking a look at some of the forgotten facts in Lafayette history.