Texans ‘ballhawk’ corner Derek Stingley Jr., vs. Vikings ‘exceptional’ wideout Justin Jefferson looms in All-LSU battle

MINNEAPOLIS – Derek Stingley shadowed Chicago Bears standout wide receiver D.J. Moore into a state of extreme frustration as his body language and facial expressions showed how he felt about being locked up by the Texans’ shutdown cornerback, and the inaccuracy of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.

Stingley tends to have that demoralizing effect on wide receivers as one of the top cover corners in the NFL. Stingley intercepted a sideline pass intended for Moore and blanketed him for three catches for seven targets and 18 yards in the second half of the Texans’ 19-13 Sunday night victory.

Now, Stingley is facing arguably his toughest defensive assignment yet since entering the NFL

He’ll square off against star wide receiver Justin Jefferson, a fellow LSU football alum and the undefeated Minnesota Vikings’ $140 million man. Jefferson is one of the most dangerous wide receivers in the NFL and had a career-long 97-yard touchdown catch in a win over the San Francisco 49ers.

This is a high-profile matchup between two of the top skill players in the game. Yes, the Texans have defensive game plans that feature Stingley following Jefferson all over the field. Whether they’ll do it every snap Sunday is still being determined.

“I’m just going out there and just playing defense,” Stingley said. “I’m not really thinking about college or anything like that. I’m going out there trying to win. He’s one of the best in the league. He knows how to get open, so I’m trying to minimize that. I mean feel like anybody on defense is always looking for a challenge whether it’s any kind of matchup. So, I look forward to it.”

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When Stingley was a freshman at LSU, the blue-chip recruit rarely was matched up against Jefferson in practice. He was traditionally up against future Cincinnati Bengals standout wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Stingley (6-1, 195) had six interceptions as an LSU freshman, Jefferson’s last college season before becoming the Vikings’ first-round pick in 2020.

“I didn’t go up against him too many times,” Jefferson said. “I pretty much watched him and Ja’Marr go at it for majority of the time, but he’s a great corner, a great ballhawk. He knows how to track the ball in the air, and his ability to catch the ball and to make plays downfield is something that he’s really good at.

“But I feel like with my skill set and our ability to create separation and create the schemes, we feel confident in the matchup on whoever’s out there guarding me. I’m excited to go up against him, and this is my first time, so I’m excited to see what he got.”

At 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Jefferson has size, speed and polished route-running working in his favor. He has caught eight receptions for 192 yards and two touchdowns on 13 targets this season, including four receptions for 133 yards against the 49ers.

Despite constant double-teaming schemes and being limited to 10 games last season and nine starts due to injuries, Jefferson still caught 68 passes for 1,074 yards and five touchdowns last season. He caught 128 passes for 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns two seasons ago.

“Justin Jefferson is as good as any wide receiver I’ve seen,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Talk about a guy who everyone knows going into the game, you have to try to stop No. 18, but it’s easier said than done. He still finds a way to make plays. He’s double-teamed, he’s clouded, it really doesn’t matter.

“He’s an exceptional talent and he shows up every single week providing explosives for their offense. We know he’s the guy that gets their offense going, so have our hands full there. He’s a tough out and it’s going to be hard the entire game to try to stop him.”

There’s not much of a relationship between Stingley, 23, and Jefferson, 25, two of the top players in recent LSU history.

“I don’t really talk to him,” Stingley said. “He’s much older, but LSU is LSU. We’re always keep in touch a little bit, but not too much. He’s making plays every week, so they obviously look at him, Ja’Marr, all the receivers that come out, they look at them the same way. You make plays, they’re going to put you on a pedestal.”

Being asked to follow opponents’ top receivers is something Stingley embraces even though it does expend a lot of energy running before and after the snap to match up.

“I just look forward to it,” Stingley said. “I just go out there and have fun.”

Stingley intercepted five passes last season after returning from a hamstring injury. He was voted as a Pro Bowl alternate, which was widely regarded as a snub.

Stingley will be eligible for a contract extension after this year and is expected to ultimately be one of, if not, the highest paid cornerbacks in the NFL along with New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner.

The trust the coaching staff places in Stingley is obvious, especially when he’s asked to shut down a top receiver and run step for step and match their moves and athleticism.

“Schematically, we do a lot of different things and, for me, defensively, whatever it takes that specific week, that’s what we’ll do,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Stingley was matched up on DJ Moore. I thought he did a really nice job and to see him go attack the football, that was big-time for us, and that’s what we need Stingley to do.”

Of course, Stingley’s job becomes easier when the defense is relentlessly harassing the quarterback as they did with Williams for seven sacks and 11 quarterback hits.

“They rush off the quarterback we don’t have to cover that long,” Stingley said. “If we do have to, it gives them more time to get the quarterback. It works hand in hand.”

Skill. Toughness. Athleticism. Instincts. Feisty streak.

Stingley is as serious as they come when it comes to football and he constantly displays intensity and body control.

In his second NFL season last year, Stingley was dominant after returning from a hamstring injury.

All of Stingley’s coverage skills were on display late last season as the Texans’ talented cornerback shut down passing lanes to lead the NFL with three interceptions in December and nine passes defensed while allowing an astoundingly low 1.7 passer rating when targeted by opposing quarterbacks. He was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Month for the first time.

“I actually think Sting is, and I won’t even shake when I say that, I think he’s one of the best DBs in the league,” said wide receiver Stefon Diggs, a four-time Pro Bowl selection. “Especially from talent level. He’s fast. He can run. He can break and he’s competed at a high level throughout his career.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.