Ahmad Gardner 2022 NFL Draft Profile

The 2022 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Ahmad Gardner 2022 NFL Draft Profile.

Ahmad Gardner Background

Position: Cornerback

Size: 6-foot-3, 190 pounds

Class: Junior

2021 stats: 40 total tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 3 interceptions, 4 passes defended

Gardner was one of the best corners in college football over the last three seasons. Now he is going to the next level.

Out of high school, Gardner was a three-star recruit who left the state of Michigan to play for Cincinnati. Gardner started right away for the Bearcats, recording three interceptions and six passes defended. The Bearcats won 11 games that season including a win in the Birmingham Bowl. He returned in a shortened 2020 season, producing three interceptions and six passes defended. Cincinnati only lost one game that season, which was to Georgia in the Peach Bowl. In 2021, Gardner had three interceptions and four passes defended. His play helped the Bearcats make the College Football Playoff.

Following a great college career for both him and his team, Gardner declared for the draft. He is currently projected to be a top 15 pick.

Ahmad Gardner Strengths

Gardner has an ideal build for a corner. He is one of the bigger corners in the class at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds. His arms are extremely long at 33.5 inches. While his weight could be improved, he has the height and length to help him be a disruptive corner, whether that is in press coverage or when attacking the catch point.

For his size, Gardner has solid athleticism. He has good longspeed and can keep up with faster receivers who try to stretch the field vertically. His body control is also very good and he uses it to play aggressively. Gardner can match up athletically with many of the receivers in the NFL.

His ability to press is very good whether he is playing zone or man. Gardner uses his long arms to get physical early on in the rep. Once he gets his hands on a receiver, he can really mess up the timing of the play and is able to win the rep.

Ahmad Gardner Weaknesses

Gardner will need to add some weight to his frame, as 190 pounds is a little light for his height. He plays physically and it works, but his press coverage could be even better with added strength. It would also help him shed blocks and be more effective in the running game.

While his physicality is generally a good thing, there are times when he can get too grabby. He was called for a lot of penalties in college and unless he works on being more subtle with his contact, he will be flagged a lot in the NFL.

He doesn’t have the smoothest transitions in coverage. Gardner has tight hips and can sometimes have trouble changing direction. Elite route runners may be able to get the better of Gardner because of this, even if it didn’t matter much in college.

Projected Draft Range: Top 15 Pick

 

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