LSU’s dynamic duo of All-American cornerbacks Derek Stingley Jr. and Elias Ricks have been named to the watch list for this year’s Bednarik Award, which is presented to the college football’s defensive player of the year.
Along with the pair of stellar cornerbacks being named to the preseason watch list, Kayshon Boutte was named to the Maxwell Award watch list, which is presented to the most outstanding player in all of college football.
To be named to these lists shows that these players are prepared to level up their game to be amongst some of the top athletes in the entire country. For Stingley Jr. and Ricks, the two look to be the first LSU player to earn the Bednarik Award since Patrick Peterson (2010) and Tyrann Mathieu (2011).
As Stingley Jr. enters his third season for the Tigers, he has the chance to be the second player in LSU history to earn first-team All-America three times. The Baton Rouge native flew onto the scene as a true freshman on LSU’s 2019 national championship roster and hasn’t looked back since.
Stingley Jr. was also voted as the SEC Newcomer of the Year in 2019 after leading the conference in interceptions with six, including two in the SEC Championships Game win over Georgia.
For Ricks, he enters his second season for the Tigers looking to carry the momentum over from a stellar freshman campaign in which he led the Tigers in interceptions along with being second in the SEC with four total. Of his four picks, he took two of them back for touchdowns with one coming in a crucial victory over sixth-ranked Florida.
After an outstanding season, Ricks was named to the Freshman All-America team while earning third team All-America by the Associated Press.
These two are surely set to be one of the nation’s top cornerback duos in the entire country as they set to lead this Tigers defense to a shake back season after a sluggish 2020-21 run. With these two on both sides of the field, quarterbacks will be in trouble all season.
As Boutte gears up for his sophomore season, the expectations will be higher than ever coming off of a flat out dominant freshman campaign. Boutte has been named to the Maxwell Award watch list where the nation’s most outstanding player is recognized.
A season ago as a true freshman, Boutte set the SEC single-game record for receiving yards with 308 on 14 receptions in LSU’s 53-48 win over Ole Miss in Death Valley.
Over the Tigers final three games in 2020, Boutte went on to catch a total of 27 passes for 527 yards and four TDs, including three in a thrilling victory over Ole Miss.
After putting up such incredible numbers in his first year, Boutte earned Freshman All-America honors along with being named to the Freshman All-SEC team.
With Stingley Jr. and Ricks holding it down on the defensive side of the ball and Boutte set to carry the load for the Tigers offensively, this LSU group is set to bounce back after a rough season a year ago. As both sides of the ball are in good hands, Coach Ed Orgeron’s roster looks as talented as ever as the Tigers look to bring another national championship to Death Valley.
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