Seahawks Ex On Jets CB Sauce Gardner: 'Reminds Me Of Sherm!'
Throughout the 2010s, former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman was the gold standard at his position.
Sherman was a leader for the "Legion of Boom" defense with 32 interceptions in seven years, helping Seahawks winning Super Bowl XLVIII along the way. He even continued his strong production after leaving Seattle thanks to a successful stint with the San Francisco 49ers, as well as a brief stop with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Sherman finished his career as a five-time Pro Bowl selection, a three-time first-team All-Pro and a member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.
For years, NFL teams have been looking for a corner who can replicate Sherman's early-career dominance. Now, the New York Jets believe they've found that player in second-year corner Sauce Gardner. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft had an outstanding rookie season, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year by a landslide after defending a league-high 20 passes.
After such a strong NFL debut, many already see Gardner as one of the best corners in the NFL. Former Seahawks and current Jets defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson added more fuel to that fire, comparing the reigning DROY to Sherman.
"That man's special," Jefferson told NFL Network. "He reminds me of Sherm with a little more athleticism. Like that man is an athletic freak and he's like 6-2, like they made him in a lab."
Jefferson was a fifth-round pick by the Seahawks in 2016, so he only played with Sherman for the corner's last two years in Seattle. The 30-year-old lineman played sparingly in his first two seasons, but became a regular starter and solid piece of the line in Year 3. After a year each with the Buffalo Bills and Las Vegas Raiders, Jefferson returned to Seattle in 2022 and posted 5.5 sacks in 17 appearances, including three starts.
Gardner undoubtedly had a fantastic start to his career, one of the best rookie seasons by any corner. The potential is certainly there, but to truly match Sherman's dominance, he'll have to keep up that high level of play for a few years to come.
You can find Jonathan Alfano on Twitter @JonAlfano_News
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