HEADLINES

Sauce Gardner

Jets, Giants Eyeing CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner

March 31st, 2022 at 6:21pm CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like the two New York teams could be eyeing the best cornerback in the draft. According to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv, both the Giants and Jets have “strong interest” in Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner. Both organizations will host the cornerback on a top-30 pre-draft visit.

The Giants and Jets were present for Gardner’s Pro Day last week, with the Giants going as far as to take the cornerback out for dinner. The two organizations also met with the player at the NFL scouting combine earlier this month. Of course, the Jets and Giants aren’t the only teams to show interest in Sauce; per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com, the Eagles, Lions, and Seahawks will also host the player on a top-30 visit.

Gardner is one of the draft’s top prospects, and for good reason. Standing at 6-foot-3, the cornerback ran a 4.41 in the 40-yard dash, and after allowing only 6.6 yards per reception last season, he earned consensus All-American and conference Defensive Player of the Year. In 33 games with Cincinnati, the cornerback had nine interceptions.

As Vacchiano notes, many believe Sauce won’t get past the Giants at No. 7. That means there’s little chance that he falls to the Jets at No. 10, so the team may need to use pick No. 4 if they hope to roster the best cornerback in the draft.

Cincinnati CB Ahmad Gardner To Enter Draft

January 5th, 2022 at 4:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the top draft-eligible cornerbacks will indeed make himself available for teams in April. Cincinnati’s Ahmad Gardner intends to forgo his senior season and enter the draft (Instagram link).

Essential to the Bearcats’ trailblazing a Group of Five path into the College Football Playoff, Gardner sits as a top-15 draft prospect in the view of ESPN.com’s Todd McShay. The 6-foot-2 cover man exited his junior season as this draft’s No. 2 corner prospect, behind only LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr.

Gardner claimed the American Athletic Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award, en route to All-American acclaim. He recorded three interceptions and three sacks in his third season with the Bearcats. Gardner, who intercepted three passes in both his freshman and sophomore seasons, did not allow more than 60 receiving yards in while in coverage in any game during his final two Cincy slates. He did not allow a touchdown as a junior.

Although Cincinnati could not keep pace with Alabama in the CFP semifinals, the program became the first Group of Five team to advance to college football’s final four. Bearcats quarterback Desmond Ridder could join Gardner in the first round. McShay has Ridder going in the top 20 in his initial 2022 mock draft. Either player landing in Round 1 would be significant for Cincinnati. While the school has sent the likes of Travis Kelce, Jason Kelce and Derek Wolfe to the pros, it has not seen one of its cogs chosen in the first round since defensive lineman Bob Bell in 1971.