PFF: Ranking the top 10 returning CBs in 2021

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Stingley might be the best athlete to take the field this fall. He’s such a rare one that even Coach O is thinking about giving him some reps on offense. Coming out of high school in 2019, the five-star cornerback clocked a 4.3-second 40 time and a 42-inch vertical. He then proceeded to have the best true freshman season since PFF College's inception back in 2014. Stingley recorded a 91.7 PFF grade and 0.97 wins above average (WAA) in that 2019 season, the latter being the best mark among non-quarterbacks all year.

Stingley was battle-tested with a whopping 94 targets, yet he allowed a catch rate of just 38% while racking up 21 combined interceptions and pass breakups. On top of that, no corner forced tight coverage at a higher rate in 2019. DeVonta Smith may have got the best of him in that historic LSU-Alabama showdown, but it was one of the best seasons college football has ever seen.

The true sophomore cornerback saw two fewer targets per game on average in 2020, as it quickly became apparent that opposing quarterbacks weren’t looking to test him. Stingley saw 30 over his seven outings, allowing just seven first downs while forcing five incompletions, three of which came against Mizzou when he played most of the game with an ankle injury.

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LSU landed the very best true freshman regardless of position in 2019 with Stingley, and they held that honor once again in 2020 thanks to the standout play from five-star corner Eli Ricks.

The Tigers deployed a healthy dose of man coverage last season, and unlike most first-year corners in the SEC, Ricks handled it like a pro. His man-coverage grade ranked first among all Power Five cornerbacks in 2020, and he allowed just six catches on 19 targets while making seven total plays on the ball when he was tasked with single coverage.

Ricks' physicality at the line of scrimmage and poise at the catch point make him a difficult cornerback to beat outright. It’s quite clear he already has an excellent feel for the position — just take his pick-six against 2021 NFL Draft prospect Kyle Trask and the Florida Gators as an example.

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