Chosen fourth overall in the 2022 NFL draft, New York Jets rookie Sauce Gardner is widely expected to become a high-level NFL cornerback someday. However, cornerback is one of the toughest positions in the NFL for a rookie. We typically see young corners take a few years before they become the player they will be throughout their prime.
Take Darrelle Revis, for example. The legendary Jets cornerback gave up 748 yards in his 2007 rookie season, which ranked as the 13th-most in the NFL and turned out to be the worst mark of his career.