2022 NFL DRAFT PROSPECT REPORT
- Name: Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner
- Position: Cornerback
- School: Cincinnati
- Height: 6'3"
- Weight: 190lbs
Pro's:
- Gardner is a player who just keeps getting better, throughout college he didn’t allow one touchdown and only gave up 96 yards throughout the past year, incredible numbers.
- He has become the best press-man cornerbacks in collegiate football
- A former wide receiver, this is evident with his excellent ball skills and is able to locate the ball well and be aggressive in the air.
- He offers excellent versatility as he can line up in press-man as well as man and zone coverage, his excellent vision and anticipation help him play all threats with proper leverage.
- Has athletic prowess which he combines with his height and reach which helps him dominate against smaller receivers.
- Good tackler who can wrap up well and an aggressive player going downhill, rarely allows receivers to gain extra yards after contact.
- Carries a certain swag that will be a big asset to an NFL locker room.
- He lives for the big time moments in a game and will not shy away from this. You can see that he loves going up against the best receivers in the game.
- Forces quarterbacks to throw away from his cover areas, when they do throw his way he’s restricted opposing QB’s to a mere 35.3 passer rating.
Con's:
- Gardner has a tendency at times to overcommit and be too aggressive which means he has to rely too much on his burst of speed to get him out of occasional trouble.
- Cincinnati is a mid-major program. Gardner has all the skills to be a superstar in the NFL but it will be interesting to see how he shapes up against the best in the business.
- Could benefit from improving some of his technical parts of his game, improving this could see him become one of the best corners in the NFL for many years ahead.
The Verdict:
“Leaving high school ESPN only regarded Gardner as a three star talent, as a result he only received 10 offers where he jumped at the chance to commit to the Bearcats. It’s evident that this was a very wise choice. As a freshman he made an instant impact by racking up 31 tackles and 3 interceptions, converting 2 in to touchdowns. In his sophomore year he picked up where he left off, in a shortened season he had 16 tackles, 0.5 sacks and 3 interceptions. Both seasons led Gardner to first-team All-AAC honors. Throughout the past season we have seen Gardner establish himself as one of the best, if not the best cornerback prospects in the class. An impressive season saw him amass 40 tackles, 5.0 tackles for a loss, 3.0 sacks and 3 interceptions. The Sauce was named the 2021 AAC Defensive Player of the Year and was a conensus All-American and for a third year in a row he received first-team All-AAC honors.”
Luke Renton
NFL Draft Analyst
NFL COMPARISON: JALEN RAMSEY
PREDICTION: TOP 15 PICK
LUKE RENTON
NFL DRAFT/FANTASY FOOTBALL ANALYST
Born & raised in Leeds but a big Man City fan, Luke is an avid fantasy football analyst, writing for other standout sites including BRoto Fantasy, KFantasy Sports and 5 Yard Rush. He will be providing nfl draft reports and fantasy articles for the touchdown throughout the season. Find him on Twitter @MCRsBlue!
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