Is Ahmad Gardner Lions' No. 1 Cornerback of Future?
Is it possible one of Detroit’s very own might become a member of the Lions, via the 2022 NFL Draft?
That is the question surrounding Cincinnati Bearcats cornerback Ahmad Gardner.
Gardner, who was born in Detroit, is the first consensus All-American position player at Cincinnati in school history.
He also has not allowed a touchdown pass while playing there. Think about that astonishing fact for a moment - - Gardner has not allowed one touchdown pass in over 1,000 coverage snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
Gardner’s football roots started as a 5-foot-10, 140-pound wide receiver at Detroit Martin Luther King Jr. High School.
He has gone on to become a lockdown corner, while helping lead his school to No. 4 in the country, at 13-0 this season.
Now, Gardner is getting ready to face Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams in the Cotton Bowl Friday, in a matchup that is sure to have NFL scouts dialed in.
If Gardner succeeds, expect his draft stock to skyrocket. Playing Alabama and its star receiver is about as close to an “NFL warmup" as a prospect can put on film.
Currently, PFF has Gardner going No. 22 overall to New England.
In today’s pass-happy NFL where 31-of-32 teams are passing the football over half the time (between 51.85 percent and 65.84 percent of the time, per teamrankings.com), the Lions better be able to either get to the quarterback or have elite corners, if they hope to compete.
If Detroit cannot get the pass rusher it wants with the No. 2 overall pick in the first round, taking a shutdown corner, like Gardner, is something that former All-Pro corner and current Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn may just be in favor of.
Having a corner who can take away half of the field would do wonders for this defense.
Gardner has shown a real propensity to be a playmaker and Detroit, which currently ranks 24th in pass defense, is in desperate need of playmakers in its secondary.
Over the course of his college career, Gardner has produced nine interceptions and 18 passes defensed, and he has logged 3.5 sacks, showing that he can also get after the quarterback on a blitz.
Katie Stratman, USA TODAY Sports
#1 Ahmad Gardner - 6-foot-3, 200 pounds
40-yard dash time: 4.42
Games reviewed in 2021: Notre Dame, Indiana and Houston
Grade: First round (top five)
NFL comparable: Champ Bailey (coverage), DeAngelo Hall (aggressiveness)
Scouting Report
A lean, lanky, aggressive and physical playmaker with excellent athletic ability and technique and an attitude for the position. Faster football playing speed than his recorded speed. Can drop into zone effectively and read well, but loves to come up with an imposing man-to-man look. Loves to play bump and run and physically get on receivers and stay on them. Uses hands well.
In Cincinnati's scheme, he is always right up on receivers pre-snap. Flips hips effortlessly, and does a phenomenal job positioning himself against receivers to maintain route leverage. He is like a receiver's shadow. Tough to shake. Wherever the receiver goes, he goes. Does an excellent job sticking in the receivers' hip pocket. Has burst to either defend and make a play on the ball or recover.
Ballhawk who plays the ball and not the receiver. Keeps an eye on the backfield. Likes to bait and dare quarterbacks to throw in his direction. Excels in coverage at all three route levels. Tough to throw screens against. Positions well on deep attempts, and uses the sideline to his advantage. Provides tight and constant aggressive coverage.
The only way opposing teams were able to beat him is on shallow crossing pick plays or on deeper comebacks (twice). Opposing offenses avoided him for the most part and showed him respect. Will come in and occasionally provide run support, and does not back down from anyone. Loves to mix it up. Showed he can scream in on a corner blitz and get there in time. True lockdown, Pro Bowl-caliber corner. Has the swag, physical gifts and technique to make a real difference.
After evaluating both Gardner and Derek Stingley Jr. (the consensus top corner), Detroit needs to take Gardner. It is not close.
After a monstrous 2019 season, Stingley has gone on cruise control, and he is also coming off a major season-ending injury.
Meanwhile, Gardner has been a model of consistency. That Notre Dame game was textbook cornerback play. It was pretty to watch.
Gardner has shown, without a doubt, on film that he is the No. 1 cornerback headed into the 2022 NFL Draft.
