New York Giants Countdown to the Draft: Sauce or Stingley?

Coach Gene Clemons takes a closer look at top cornerback prospects Sauce Gardner and Derek Stingley Jr, and identifies the best fit for the Giants.

Even if the Giants were not in cap hell right now, you could argue that they need an injection of new blood at cornerback. James Bradberry may or may not be on the roster this year, and even if he is, this would be his last year since his contract was amended last year to include a voidable year in 2023. 

With new defensive coordinator Wink Martindale bringing in what many believe will be a more aggressive attacking style, guys who can cover will be at a premium. 

Again, the uncertainty of Bradberry's future by the time they open up training camp, mixed with the loss of safety Logan Ryan (who also played corner), means that New York will need to address corner sooner rather than later. 

If they choose to go corner in the first round, they may have their pick between the top two prospects, Cincinnati's Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner and LSU's Derek Stingley Jr. Neither will probably escape the top ten, and both would be valued fits in the Giants defense. 

The question is which one makes the most sense for the Giants. Let's take a closer look at this question.

Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, Cincinnati

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Height: 6'3"
Weight: 200 lbs.
Exp.: Three-year Starter

Gardner is a long defensive back who has improved in every season that he's been a starter for the Bearcats. He has been a dominant defender in the secondary during his time at Cincy, which has taken him from first-team All-AAC to first-team All-American.

Gardner likes to do his damage before a receiver gets started or after the ball is in the air. He is great in close quarters, where he uses his long arms and active hands to disrupt routes on the line of scrimmage. He can throw off timing routes or create frustration when receivers run routes because he's so sticky.

His true gift is playing off-coverage and allowing receivers and quarterbacks to feel comfortable throwing the ball. Like a fly trap, he snaps on routes that look wide open, which results in minimal gains, incomplete passes, or interceptions.

Some question his competition, but the truth is that he has risen to every challenge put in front of him, including a College Football Playoff semifinal matchup against Alabama's receiving corps led by Jameson Williams.

In the NFL, he will have to clean up his technique in phase so that he doesn't get caught holding receivers, and playing off will probably happen less, but he is a great prospect.

Derek Stingley Jr, LSU

SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Height: 6'1"
Weight: 195 lbs.
Exp.: Three-year Starter

Stingley hit the ground running for the Tigers and was named a first-team All-American as a true freshman on that National Championship LSU team. Thanks to a championship run, a daunting SEC West schedule, and practices, he has matched up against the best receivers in football over the past three seasons.

Many of those players are now big-time players in the NFL, including former teammates Justin Jefferson and Jamarr Chase (the top two in the NFL rookie receiving yards record book), whom he matched up against every day in practice.

He is a sticky man-to-man specialist, which is coveted in the NFL. He has really good hips and quick feet, which allows him to pattern match well. That results in Stingley being able to disrupt passes because he's running the route with the receiver. His athleticism gives him the ability to compete for 50/50 balls which is valuable, especially in the red zone.

He has a burst that allows him to close on the ball when it is in the air. He uses it to make up distance on deep balls, and he also uses it to snap on balls thrown underneath the coverage.

Because he is smooth in his backpedal, he can stay in it longer and change direction quicker. Injuries limited him this past season, and like Chase, when he missed an entire season allowed him to be out of sight out of mind but make no mistake about it; he is a supreme talent.

Add that to how intelligently he plays the position, and there's no wonder why he is so sought after. He needs to prove that he can be the consistent workhorse and probably get better at tackling, but he has all the makings of an all-pro.

Who Should It Be?

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Both guys would help fill a need on the defense, but Stingley projects more as a field-side corner. Someone who can cover the most ground and be left alone on the largest island.

Gardner's most significant strength would be performing in a system where he executes his job to perfection or even operating on the boundary side where he can more actively use the sidelines as another defender. 

Scott Clause / USA TODAY NETWORK

Versatility remains the name of the game for the Giants, and Stingley seems as if he could provide that. His lateral quickness and suddenness in his change of direction allow him to cover the best receivers even when they go to the slot. 

Based on the amount of man coverage you can predict in a Wink Martindale system, Stingley provides a better return on investment. 

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