Sauce By The Numbers: Ahmad Gardner Best Rookie Corner in Jets History

From a legendary endorsement, to the eye-popping stats, Ahmad Gardner is taking the NFL by storm.

Author:
Russ Heltman
Nov 10, 2022 9:38 AM EST

CINCINNATI — Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner is nine games into his NFL career and is already arguably the best cornerback in the NFL. He's been fantastic in 2022, totaling 44 tackles and two interceptions, but the raw basic numbers don't do him justice.

Before we dive deeper into his fantastic first half, check out what legendary NFL cornerback Darrelle Revis said this week about the latest shutdown Jet's corner.

"When you come in as a rookie, you want the elite players you're playing against to respect you, and the only way you do that is be a playmaker," Revis told ESPN. "I think Sauce has the word 'playmaker' written all over him."

Revis is a seven-time Pro Bowler and had first-team All-Pro seasons with the Jets in 2009 and 2010.

"I think he has the potential to carry the torch on to be a great cornerback for the New York Jets," said Revis. "I think his ceiling is very high. I think he has all the tangibles. I think he has all the potential to continue to grow into a great player, a great corner, and a great leader as he represents the New York Jets."

The numbers agree with him:

He leads the NFL w/ a 90.4 PFF coverage grade
NFL leader in pass break ups (13)
The only Jets rookie to have 10-plus pass break ups & two INTs in their 1st nine games, surpassing Revis
Receivers he's covered this season: Amari Cooper, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis

Total catches allowed in man coverage - four for 28 yds

His completion percentage against over expectation is minus-10.1%, per NFL Next Gen Stats
Allowed only 20 catches for 189 yards on 347 coverage snaps
As the nearest defender in coverage, per NFL Next Gen Stats, Gardner's generated 26.3 EPA. The only other cornerback in the league above 20 EPA is Philadelphia's James Bradberry, a smidge ahead of Gardner

The first-half debate has turned into a second-half fact: Sauce Gardner is a top-five NFL corner. The Patriots will try not to get lost in the Sauce this Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.

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