The NFL's next 262 players will hear their names called during the the next three days as the league holds its annual draft.

And, as always, LSU will provide more than a couple of those pro-bound athletes.

At least three Tigers have been selected in each of the past 21 drafts, including a record-tying 14 two years ago in 2020.

Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. had been on franchises' radars since at least then as he watched so many of his national championship teammates head to the next level.

Two up-and-down years hindered by injuries, coaching changes and other circumstances contributed to some ebbs and flows in the highlight-regarded prospect's draft stock since then.

But the Baton Rouge native and former All-American shouldn't have to wait much longer to learn his first professional organization once the draft kicks off at 7 p.m. on the Las Vegas Strip.

And at least a few other Tigers will follow Stingley into the league the latest members of their program's "NFLSU" tradition.