Back in the summer of 2019, one of my homies hit me up and said man y’all signed a kid named Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner and he’s a beast, y’all got a good one, the only reason he’s under the radar is his weight, but watch he’s going to ball. Fast forward to one of the most anticipated “Nipp At Night’s” in the schools history and that’s when the #BearcatNation learned the name Sauce. After that huge pick six of Dillion Gabriel, everything has been great for the junior cornerback.
Sauce Gardner across 51 coverage snaps vs Notre Dame
— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 4, 2021
🔒 3 targets
🔒 2 catches allowed (9 yards)
🔒 1 INT@GoBearcatsFB pic.twitter.com/HBXiYJOsO8
Fast forward to his junior year and the 6-foot-3, now 200 pound Gardner is arguably the best cornerback in the nation. Some will argue Derek Stingley, Jr. of LSU is, but people in the midwest beg to differ and that’s no knock on Stingley, Jr. During his sophomore season he played great, but his missed the Peach Bowl against Georgia because of back spasms, I personally think because he missed a game that would’ve had him lineup against George Pickens it would’ve allowed him to get more love on draft boards. Since he didn’t play in that game a lot of people use the fact that he plays in the AAC as a knock against him, but even though he plays in the AAC their are very good receivers in the conference that Gardner has performed well against, hell the young man hasn’t allowed a touchdown during his career in Cincinnati.
The last two games of the non-conference proved to anybody that had doubts about his competition that he is one of the best in the nation if not thee best. He put the clamps on Indiana’s all world wide receiver Ty Fryfogle on his home turf. Holding Fryfogle to one catch for 13 yards on eight targets is impressive and the one catch wasn’t against Gardner. There was a play against Indiana that people thought would be a touchdown, but Gardner made a great play to knock it away, it just shows how good he is when the ball is in the air. He also on locked up against Notre Dame allowing two catches on three targets for nine yards and an interception.
You don’t need to check PFF to know that Gardner is legit, even though PFF ranks him in the top tier. The more spotlight on the program will allow him to continue him to move up the draft boards I’ve seen him as high as the mid teens on a few mocks and it is possible when it’s all said and done he’ll end up higher.
Clifton needs to enjoy the masterful skills of Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner while we have him because the young man is a baller. The young man for Detroit, Michigan is worth the price of admission, if you don’t believe me just turn on the tape.
