Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner Picks Earns Jets 'A+' Grade From CBS Sports

Gardner is the favorite to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

CINCINNATI — CBS Sports declared Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner the top first-round pick in the entire NFL this week. Gardner was the only player to earn an "A+" grade among every pick.

"Sauce is the Defensive Rookie of the Year frontrunner," Chris Trapasso wrote. "Frankly, it'll be difficult for him to lose the award at this juncture, based on where we are in the season and how stingy he's played -- 20 receptions allowed on 46 targets with two picks and an NFL-leading (not just rookie-leading) 13 pass breakups. Gardner has handled NFL receivers much like he handled those in the AAC over the past three seasons at Cincinnati."

The selection is impossible to criticize. 

New York had arguably the worst defense in the NFL last season. Now they are sixth in total EPA allowed and seventh in dropback EPA allowed thanks in large part to Gardner.

Read more about his stellar rookie year numbers here.

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