Player: Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner

School: University of Cincinnati

Height and Weight: 6’3”, 190

Combine Results:

• 40: 4.41
• Bench: DNP
• Broad Jump: DNP
• Vertical Jump: DNP
• 3 Cone: DNP
• Other Notes: Reports came out that Sauce’s primary goal at the combine was to run in the 4.4’s. Mission accomplished as he ran a 4.41 which is quite impressive for a big, lengthy corner like Sauce. The big note here is that Sauce did not compete in any test other than the 40. I’m not sure why he did that, but if I had to speculate it either had to do with focusing on the 40 or not wanting his evaluations to be based around pure numbers but instead his play on the field.

Strengths: Man coverage with lockdown potential, knowledge and awareness in zone coverage 

Weaknesses: Alignment, disguising coverages

Projected Draft Day: Day 1

Player Comparison: Jalen Ramsey

Player Summary: Sauce is a physical man-to-man corner who likes to get in your face at the line and disrupt your route through the entirety of the play. He seemed to have a good understanding and awareness while playing zone, but I personally did not watch enough of him in zone to say how good or bad he is in zone; however, it certainly seems like the knowledge is there. I think Sauce will flourish in a defense that plays a physical man-to-man scheme rather than a more zone based scheme. Sauce does not care who you are, he will get up in your face and try to “suffocate” you all game long. There are stats going around that Sauce did not allow a TD in his entire college career and did not let up more than 13 yards to any receiver that lined up across from him this past season. That is insane! Sauce needs to get more comfortable playing off-ball a little more than he did at Cincy. Being able to play off will help him disguise his coverages better than he did in college. I love that Sauce likes to be physical in his coverage, but he will need to start realizing who he can push around all game, and who he can’t. At some point he will be lined up among the likes of D-Hop, Adams, Kupp, AJ Brown, etc. Sauce most likely will not be able to out physical all of these guys for an entire game like he did to receivers in college. If he tries it I think it could get him in some trouble in the league.

To some the Ramsey comparison may sound insane as Ramsey is highly regarded as the best corner in the league; however, this comparison has more to do with size similarities and style of play in coverage. Both guys like to be pressed up in your face when they can and be physical with you all day long. Much like LA does with Ramsey, it seemed like Cincy liked to use Sauce as a blitzer off the edge occasionally as well. The obvious difference between the two is that Ramsey is a much better tackler, but for a corner as physical as Gardner I’m sure he will get better at tackling with the right coaching.