HOOVER, Ala. — One of college football’s most anticipated one-on-one matchups will be shelved this season. The past two years, the always-heated Alabama versus LSU rivalry has featured the added perk of pitting up one of the nation’s premier receivers, DeVonta Smith, against one of its best cornerbacks, Derek Stingley.
That won’t be the case this season as Smith was selected No. 10 overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in this year’s NFL Draft. While college football might miss out on the battle, you’d forgive Stingley if he wasn’t too upset about getting Smith out of his hair for a year.
While Alabama and LSU have split the two meetings involving Smith and Stingley, the Tide receiver has wound up on the winning side of the individual battles more often than not.
Smith torched Stingley in 2019, recording five receptions for 211 yards and two touchdowns on the six balls thrown his way with the five-star defensive back in coverage. Stingley did a bit better last season, limiting Smith to three receptions for 33 yards on the five targets they shared. However, Smith was able to reel in his famed one-handed over Stingley in the back of the end zone — a play that ultimately proved emblematic of the Alabama receiver’s Heisman Trophy-winning campaign.
So how does Stingley feel about finally getting a break from Smith this season? The LSU cornerback claims he hasn’t given it much thought.
“It isn’t so much that I’m trying to avoid people,” Stingley explained during SEC Media Days. “You know, you go into every week and you focus on one opponent, and you break them down and you get to the game and you see if that preparation is good enough. And if it wasn’t, you’ve got to come back the next week even stronger.”
Chances are, Stingley won’t be rid of Smith for long. Stingley, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2019 class, is viewed as one of the top defensive backs in next year’s draft class and has projected as a top-five pick in several early mock drafts. Until then, the LSU defensive back said he’s more interested in stopping the receivers he’s slated to go up against this season.
“When I look at DeVonta, he’s a great player,” Stingley said. “He taught me a lot, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he does in the league. But my focus is on what I can do this year and the opponents I have this year.”
Stingley’s first matchup against Alabama sans Smith will come on Nov. 6 as the Crimson Tide hosts the Tigers inside of Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Stingley’s main focus for that game will likely be John Metchie III who returns as Alabama’s top receiving target after finishing second on the team with 55 receptions for 916 yards and six touchdowns last season. Stingley and Metchie have yet to face off together on the field.
