When the New York Jets were linked to Sauce Gardner in 2022 mock drafts, many prognosticators scoffed, “The Jets won’t take a cornerback that high. Robert Saleh does not care about cornerbacks in his defense.”
Sure enough, Joe Douglas called No. 1’s number, and he promptly delivered one of the best rookie seasons by a cornerback in NFL history, cementing his place as a top-tier cornerback in the league and a first-team All-Pro. In doing so, Sauce led the Jets’ defense to the No. 4 ranking in total defensive DVOA and one of the largest season-over-season defensive improvements in league history.