NFL Draft 2022 tracker: Live blog and pick-by-pick analysis
In February, Robert Saleh said one of the best ways the Jets can help young Zach Wilson is by improving the defense. The quarterback wouldn’t feel nearly as much pressure if games were a little closer.
So, maybe it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that with their first pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Jets selected a cornerback to shore-up their secondary. At No. 4, the Jets took Cincinnati’s Sauce Gardner. He’s the first cornerback selected in the first round by the Jets since Dee Milliner in 2013.
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Big board ranking: Gardner ranked fifth on Dane Brugler’s Top 300 list. He was his No. 1-ranked corner. Other players in contention at No. 4 were NC State tackle Ickey Ekwonu (No. 2) and Alabama tackle Evan Neal (No. 3). Ekwonu went to the Panthers sixth overall and the Giants selected Neal seventh.
Introduction: Gardner, 21, spent the last three years at Cincinnati establishing himself as one of the top cornerbacks in the nation. He didn’t allow a single touchdown in 1,103 career coverage snaps. Gardner is a long-bodied (6-3, 190 pounds), athletic, press-man corner who developed a reputation as a fearless defender. He finished last season with 40 tackles, three sacks, three interceptions and four pass breakups. The interception and breakup numbers are a bit lower, but there’s a reason for that: While Gardner played 482 snaps last year, quarterbacks threw at him just 40 times, according to Pro Football Focus. Among the 83 FBS cornerbacks who played at least 400 snaps, only two were targeted less often.
How he fits: The Jets’ defense was abysmal last year, ranking 32nd in yards and points allowed. Their secondary, specifically the cornerback position, was the root of many of their issues. The Jets started Bryce Hall, Brandin Echols and Michael Carter II (slot) the majority of the year. Echols was the only player to intercept a pass; he had two for the season.
The Jets were able to mask the trio’s weakness early on with safeties Marcus Maye and Lamarcus Joyner, but when they lost both to season-ending injuries, opponents exposed the backend. Gardner immediately jumps Echols and Hall, sliding in as a starter next to free-agent signing D.J. Reed. The two, paired with Carter, give the Jets arguably their most talented cornerback unit since 2015 (Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, Buster Skrine).
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Second guess? The Jets filled a need at corner with Gardner. When you’re 6-27 over the last two years, though, you have more than just one hole. The Jets could have gone a number of directions, but at No. 4, the more interesting potential options were Ekwonu and Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux. The Jets were incredibly high on Ekwonu during the pre-draft process. Their decision to pass on him for Gardner won’t be an issue if George Fant builds on his career year last season, and Mekhi Becton bounces back from an injury-plagued sophomore campaign.
The Jets were not nearly as high on Thibodeaux. Sources told The Athletic he was not in consideration at No. 4 or 10 (New York’s second first-round pick). Thibodeaux went one selection later to the Giants. It won’t be hard for the Jets to follow his career closely.
Rookie impact: The Jets signed Reed away from the Seahawks, handing the 25-year-old a three-year, $33 million deal. He’s one starter. Gardner now jumps Hall, Echols and Isaiah Dunn for the other outside job. Gardner told reporters on the NFL Draft’s red carpet he expects a “Pro Bowl” and “All-Pro” rookie season. The Jets would gladly take that, but even just solid season would mark a dramatic improvement from a year ago.
Depth-chart impact: Gardner’s arrival isn’t great news for Hall, who started all 17 games last year. The Jets originally planned to have Hall, Dunn and Echols compete for the job outside Reed during training camp. Now, barring injury, the three are depth pieces.
Fast evaluation: There was no way for general manager Joe Douglas to screw up the first two picks of this draft unless he chose players who couldn’t play. The Jets have won just six games over the last two years. They need game-changers, starters and depth. Gardner is someone they hope will be a mainstay in their secondary for the next decade.
(Photo: Kirby Lee / USA Today)