Not everyone is a fan of New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN released his top 10 cornerback rankings that are voted on by a panel of scouts, coaches, and league executives. Gardner was ranked as the third-best corner in football and people had a lot to say about him.
“One of the most overrated players in the league,” a high-ranking NFL personnel evaluator told ESPN in a column posted on Thursday, July 18. “You could call holding on him every play.”
Fowler also revealed that “Gardner gathered fewer top votes than he did after his rookie year” in this same ESPN ranking. “He’s a polarizing figure,” Fowler added.
The Ranking Doesn’t Make Any Sense
Gardner was a first-team All-Pro cornerback after his rookie season. According to the Jets website, Gardner became the first rookie to earn that recognition since Pro Football Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott did it in 1981 with the San Francisco 49ers.
How did he follow up that season?
Gardner earned another first-team All-Pro season in year No. 2. That list is even shorter. The former Cincinnati product is the only player since the AFL/NFL merger to earn a first-team All-Pro nomination through his first two seasons.
One of Gardner’s big criticisms has been his lack of turnovers. Through two years he only has two interceptions and both of those came during his rookie campaign.
The other criticism you hear of Gardner is his “handsy” nature and he grabs a lot in his coverage. Fowler said because of that, “a few established personnel executives left him off the top 10 altogether.”
This is a developing story and we’ll provide new details as they become available.
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