NY Jets make superstar defensive addition in CB Sauce Gardner

Justin Fried

NY Jets, Sauce Gardner / Justin Casterline/GettyImages

The NY Jets got the Sauce baby. With a likely decision between Cincinnati cornerback Sauce Gardner and NC State offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu staring them in the face, the Jets chose the former.

All of a sudden, the Jets have added one of the most talented defensive backs to come out of the draft in years to their roster. Gardner has a chance to completely reshape the state of the Jets' defense.

Many believed the Jets would look to bolster their defense with a pass rusher. Instead, they targeted a player who many believe could be the top talent in this class in Gardner.

From his confident off-field persona to his dominant on-field play, Gardner is tailor-made for the New York market and he has the skills to back it up. This is a home-run pick for the Jets.

Sauce Gardner is a superb pick for the NY Jets

A three-year starter in college, Gardner wasted little time making an impact upon arriving at Cincinnati. He was named Freshman All-American and first-team All-AAC as a true freshman and the honors would only continue from there.

Gardner earned first-team all-conference honors in all three seasons at Cincinnati, was a first-team All-American in both 2020 and 2021, and was the AAC Defensive Player of the Year this past season.

Quite simply, Gardner might have the best tape of any cornerback in recent memory. Gardner allowed an opposing passer rating of just 22.6 this past season, a figure that ranked second-best in the entire FBS.

In his three-year college career, Gardner allowed just one single completion in the red zone on well over 100 coverage snaps. He never allowed a touchdown during his time at Cincinnati.

He's not just production either. At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, Gardner is a physical freak with the athletic traits that indicate he's only scratching the surface of his potential.

Sauce Gardner is the real deal. The Jets made the right choice here.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.