The 2022 draft is coming up, and this years class is not short on talent. Unlike most years, the focus of debate is less on the QB position and more on some other key spots around the field. The one being closest to my heart as a former DB, is the CB battle of Derek Stingley Jr. from LSU and Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner from Cincinnati. This battle has everything we want in a debate, group of five vs power five, size vs speed, on field production vs potential. Everything about these two are almost opposite. Predicting which CB will be better is nearly impossible because so many factors come into play, including what kind of scheme they’re thrown into and the players around them, but we’ll take a look at both players and see which might be a better fit for your team.
Sauce Gardner
At 6’3” 200lbs, Gardner is a monster on the outside. He’s able to matchup up with the biggest receivers that’ll be thrown at him. In the AAC Gardner dominated, earning himself First Team honors since his freshman year and Defensive Player of the Year his last. He was also awarded First Team All-American his final year, after helping Cincinnati become the first non power five school to reach the College Football Playoffs. Sauce has the size, but the advantage he gains with his physicality comes with a loss of speed and quickness. With a 4.41 40-yard he’s not what we would call slow, but as we see more WR times coming in the low 4.3s, there is definitely a need to have someone fast out on the edge. He makes up for that *slight* lack of speed with his intelligence, anticipation, and being physical at the line. He does have a tendency to be a little too physical though, which creates some PI trouble. His one true test was Jamison Williams in the semifinals and he held his own, but at the same time, Bama ran the ball for over 300 yards and didn’t need the passing game that much. I’d say Sauce’s pro comp is someone like Richard Sherman, and he could be a great fit into a more zone like defense, where he can play off the line and have some over the top help in the middle. Which makes Atlanta at eight or Seattle at nine a likely spot for Sauce.
Stingley
Derek Stingley came into LSU as a five star, the top CB prospect in the country, and in 2019 lived up to every expectation. All-American as a freshman and part of the 2019 LSU National Championship team, Stingley was seen locking down 2019 Biletnikoff winner Ja’marr Chase in practice as a true freshman. 6’0 190lbs, Stingley is the perfect combo of size and speed, running a 4.37 in the 40-yard. After an amazing freshman year, Stingley would only go on to play 10 games in the next two years due to injury. His tackling isn’t great and he lacks a bit of competitiveness, but Stingley has potential to be the best corner prospect since Ramsey, but it’s a matter of if he can stay healthy. He’s got the size to tackle and the speed to keep up with anyone, he fits into any zone or man defense
Trying to predict who will be successful in the NFL is extremely hard to do because so much relies on the fit of the defense. Sauce will be a very reliable, competitive corner who will fit in a great zone defense and give you solid work in press, but lacks that true shut down ability. Stingley give you high potential to have a lock down corner who can take away the number one on the other side and create plays with his athleticism, but injury risk and an off and on motor hurts his potential.
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