He displays an ability to mirror his man, uses his length both in terms of staying on his man and disrupting his routes and to contest at the catch point and showcases good recovery and closing speed: In his first two seasons, Gardner wasnt completely flawless as he gave up some big plays like this one: In addition, both Calvin Austin and Damonte Coxie had big games against him. Using just the numbers, Gardner had a combined 36 interceptions and passes broken up over 37 games, compared to 32 over the course of 25 games for Stingley. Over the shoulder, away from his leverage, along the sideline and everything in between no cornerback in this class has better tape of taking the ball out of the air than the LSU prodigy. Last season was an evaluation year for the Jets at the cornerback spot, enabling them to assess the players already on the roster together with last year's rookie additions. Gardners physical attributes amplify the effectiveness of his kick slide press technique. Lets break down the differences in the two corners styles of play before identifying best fits for both and picking who deserves to be at the top of the position group. Ranking Gardner behind him is no slight to the Cincinnati corner. Gardners run defense grades have been good and he makes good contributions on outside runs, although he plays on the outside so hes not often involved when runs go between the tackles. His ability to play press coverage and jam at the line doesnt really correspond to a main feature of the Jets defense from last season, but it might be something they intend to do more of now that they have someone with the tools to carry it out. 20-11, These players should all be critical to the success or failure of the 2022 Giants. The Giants hired Don Wink Martindale to employ his defensive philosophy which is predicated on press-man coverage and aggressive blitzing packages. Gardner is an in-phase corner because of how he plays at the line of scrimmage. He has confidence and swagger and has impressed coaches throughout his career with his work ethic and tenaciousness. The New York Giants have two top 10 selections in the 2022 NFL Draft, and a serious candidate for the Giants is Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad Sauce Gardner. Today we break down Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad Sauce Gardner, selected by the Jets with the 4th overall pick, in detail. A proper press has relatively little to do with a corners upper body strength. The Bearcats originally didnt play any zone concepts, which the Jets will of course look to do, but - as noted - Gardner adapted well to these situations when they were introduced and has the instincts to drop from assignment to assignment. He was a three-time all-AAC selection and racked up 99 tackles, three sacks and nine interceptions in his college career. Hall has better size than Echols, who they clearly didnt want to be exploited too often by bigger receivers. Gardner was under-recruited out of high school as a 160-pound cornerback. While neither will necessarily be guaranteed to start, Gardner has the best chance of the two to be a day one starter. When Gardner has a clue of the routes he might see pre-snap, and its confirmed by the receivers release, he eliminates it before it gets 10 yards downfield. Conventionally, an out-of-phase defensive back would be asked to watch the receivers hand instead of the ball playing for a pass breakup instead of an interception . Despite being listed at 200, he weighed in at closer to 190 at the combine. He played his best football in 2021, which coincided with a historic stretch of football for the University of Cincinnati. His coaches in Cincinnati were impressed with his savvy, notably praising him for naturally figuring out zone concepts before they had even covered it in practice. That technique fit the system he performed best in through his college career: a press quarters system built to flood the seams and alleys with run support players and coverage defenders. Having already signed the diminutive, but competitive Reed in free agency, the Jets ideally needed someone with good size to pair with him. The mirror technique is Stingleys flavor of press. (Bloomberg) -- Indonesian President Joko Widodo is set for the first visit to China by a foreign leader since the Olympics in February, a sign the diplomatic isolation of the worlds No. Because offenses are expecting man coverage and not looking to take vertical shots, receivers can set up longer releases by selling an inside/outside move and breaking hard in the opposite direction, change speeds and force the defender to play flat-footed, or box out the cornerback and physically deny him from making a play on the football. The Jets will usually leave one of their corners on the right side and the other on the left, but they swapped them from time to time in the second half of the season as they had Hall shadowing certain receivers in passing situations. Injuries have not been an issue for Gardner throughout his career so far, although with his slender frame, the Jets will no doubt hope he can add some mass without sacrificing any speed. Armed with that knowledge, the team opted to trade back into the first round so that they could select Johnson with the 26th overall pick. He had 12 penalties in 22 games over his first two seasons and that doesnt account for the numerous occasions where a penalty could easily have been called and he got away with it. Its up to the Jets to now continue that process. This is an ideal position to deny the ball and explains why Gardner wasnt targeted very often throughout his career. Scruggs was on Cincinnatis defensive staff for the past two seasons and was involved with player development prior to that. Stingley is also plenty capable of playing in phase: In 2019, when LSU ran a lot of Cover 1 on the way to its national title, Stingley punished quarterbacks for trying him when he was playing tight to routes. But he refused to do anythingIt was a dereliction, Senator Hawley was pictured showing support to protesters earlier in the day, January 6 committee plays White House national security official saying agents made calls to say goodbye to family members. Stingleys statistical advantage reflects his special ability to track the football through its flight. Gardner played as an outside corner in college, only dropping into a safety role or playing the slot if there was no receiver on one side. He can also make clean hits when coming downhill. He was an immediate impact player for the Bearcats and was first-team All-AAC in all three seasons in Cincinnati. Lawsons status is also uncertain after he missed the entire 2021 season due to an Achilles tear, but the Jets are apparently optimistic he can return as an impact player. Gardner has avoided major blunders because of his arm length and physicality, but he can fall into a poor habit of trying to jump press receivers, punching with two hands before moving his feet. In his final season, they rushed him about once per game on average and to good effect as he had three sacks and a couple of pressures. Zeldin said he was not seriously injured in the attack. His acumen in coverage flashes as he inches away, running through a rapid process of elimination based on what the receiver is giving him. Many teams opted not to target him much at all, despite the fact the Bearcats had another NFL prospect on the other side in Coby Bryant. At the top of the 2022 NFL Draft, there are two players who have jostled for CB1 status since 2020, Derek Stingley Jr. and Ahmad Sauce Gardner. Former third-round pick has been bypassed by a number of players, and now seems like an afterthought. The actual punch from a defensive back much like an offensive tackle in pass protection is the final piece of the puzzle, used to keep cushion and leverage on inside and outside releases. But what a player can do with the ball in the air is a major piece of evaluating his ceiling. However, in short-area situations (low red zone, goal line, third and short), the mirror release can leave corners vulnerable. More often than not, just making sure a receiver doesnt come down with the pass is adequate. Eye discipline, footwork and hip mobility are the foundational elements of consistent success at the line of scrimmage. I am not very concerned with these issues. Trump sat in White House and watched approvingly while rioters attacked seat of US government, Were about to find out if a president can get away with literally anything, CNNThe day after the violent attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, then-President Donald Trump was convinced to put out a short video trying to turn the page on the efforts to overturn the election and move toward an orderly transition of power. He has a tall, slender build, similar to Robbie Anderson, with long arms and big hands. Football is designed to avoid one-on-one matchups. Stingley embodies the concept of playing the ball as though its intended for him, and his wide catch radius and dexterity lead me to believe his arms are longer than pre-draft measurements. He was a consensus all-American and voted as the AACs Defensive Player of the Year. Reed also has some positional flexibility, so you could perhaps see some packages where he moves inside and Hall enters the game on the boundary. Forcing a defense to divert resources to stop one guy and attacking one-on-one matchups when theyre available are the hallmarks of the best kind of offense. To avoid losing those reps, hell need to utilize his hands more often when his matchup tests his physicality. This year, however, they opted to give DJ Reed a big-money deal and have now used a high pick on Gardner as they continue to make over the secondary. At the top of the 2022, However, in short-area situations (low red zone, goal line, third and short), the mirror release can leave corners vulnerable. Heres a good example of him slowing his man up with the jam, leaning on him downfield to keep contact and then relying on his length to disrupt. In never-before-seen outtakes of that speech, Trump is seen refusing to actually acknowledge that "the election is over.In a one-minute-and-forty-four-second video that's about as revealing as anything about Trump's actual state of mind after Jan. 6, th, (Bloomberg) -- Sri Lankas new President Ranil Wickremesinghe called in the military to maintain public order and troops began dismantling a key protest site near the presidential office early Friday, leading to tense scenes with demonstrators. Saleh had also suggested that adding Johnson will enable them to run some pass rush packages where Lawson, Franklin-Myers, and Johnson are in the game together with Franklin-Myers rushing from the interior. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. While Bryce Hall and Brandin Echols had their moments last year, it seems likely theyll end up backing up Reed and Gardner. had to be acknowledged in any cornerback rankings in spite of the yardage and touchdowns allowed, because generating that many turnovers and passes defensed is a scarce occurrence. Giants roster move: Daniel Bellinger placed on PUP list, Rookie tight end will miss time with quad injury, New York Giants 2022 roster rankings: Nos. And Gardner is 62 with a 79-inch wingspan, so he meets that requirement perfectly. The kick slide technique is probably the most commonly used by defensive backs at the line of scrimmage, and its Gardners favorite way of neutralizing receivers. And after bringing in two potential starters, the Jets should have a much deeper group. Gardner was more disciplined in 2021 when he only had two penalties; he had seven in 2020 and five in 2019. Stingley has a great deal of confidence and patience, so hes rarely turned around or left behind in coverage, but he can fall into some inconsistency when defending in-breaking routes like slants that require him to match the physicality of the receiver hes guarding. Gardner could be perfect fit for Wink Martindale. Heres a play where he stays at home, maintains outside leverage and steps up to wrap up the runner on the edge. Trevon Diggs whom I discussed last season had to be acknowledged in any cornerback rankings in spite of the yardage and touchdowns allowed, because generating that many turnovers and passes defensed is a scarce occurrence. The good grades are a product of the fact hes a disciplined run defender who will keep contain and has good awareness and an ability to fight off blocks. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Is there still a place on the Giants for Oshane Ximines? 2 economy due to its Covid Zero strategy may be easing.Most Read from BloombergAmericans Who Cant Afford Homes Are Moving to Europe InsteadMusk Lieutenant Scrutinized in Internal Tesla Purchasing ProbeThese Are the Worlds Most (and Least) Powerful Passports in 2022Biden Contracts Covid as Pandemic Shows Its St. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist held their only debate Thursday before next month's Democratic gubernatorial primary, bashing Gov. Its just become clearer, as hes developed and become more comfortable with himself and guarding his competition, that he doesnt mind allowing more space and opening up his field of vision. He's used to lining up wide and rushing the tackle from the outside, which is what the Jets will need him to do in their wide-nine system. https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2022/04/22120554/Ahmad-Gardner-kickside.mp4. With the fourth pick, the Jets selected Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner as they continued to demonstrate a shift in approach at the position. Heres a video detailing his unique skill-set: Film breakdown: Ahmad Sauce Gardner, a future New York Giant? Stingleys approach carries a high degree of difficulty at the professional level, but it is a safe way to eliminate explosive play potential and disrupts the timing for easy throws on the perimeter. As the Jan 6 committee held its eighth presentation, focussing on the 187 minutes between delivering his speech on the Mall and putting out a video message urging his supporters to go home, Mr Trump claimed he had done nothing wrong. @LSUfootball's Derek Stingley Jr. said GIMME THAT pic.twitter.com/Dd0DQPOSqO, SEC Network (@SECNetwork) October 5, 2019. His 4.41 time in the 40-yard dash at the combine opened eyes, but he opted not to jump, lift or do the agility drills. (Top photo of Derek Stingley Jr: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images), Defensively, that leaves one position with disproportionate responsibility in limiting big gains: cornerback. A whiff, switching your hips/leverage or. However, there should be plenty of rotational opportunities for Johnson, together with free agent signee Jacob Martin. Knocking away throws is valuable, but Stingleys ability to snatch the ball out of the air is harder to find. This was a major event, because everybody ganged up and said that Mike had no choice, he could not send the slates back to the States (which is all I suggested he do) for possible retabulation and correction based on largescale Voter Fraud and Irregularities.. Savvy pros will use that lunging aggression to force him off balance, leaving it to Gardners recovery speed to determine whether hes able to contest the catch. Time equals yards when youre out on the proverbial island. He finished the 2021 season with 40 tackles, five for a loss, three sacks, three interceptions, and four passes defended. As for Stingley, hes become comfortable with playing more out of phase and trusting his feel for the play to defend routes as they distribute and break.