Watch Sauce Gardner if you want to learn the proper technique to play cornerback
When the New York Jets drafted Sauce Gardner with the fourth overall pick out of Cincinnati, everyone knew he had the potential to be a superstar.
But nobody thought he would get there this quickly.
At 23 years old with 33 NFL games under his belt, Gardner is already the consensus CB1 in the NFL. He’s been named a first-team All-Pro in back-to-back seasons.
Gardner has all of the traits you want in a shutdown corner. He’s long, fast, and has fluid hips. While these traits play a large role in his stardom, the key to Gardner’s success is his technique.
Gardner has mastered the technical nuances of the cornerback. Whether it’s his recognition in zone coverage, his physicality at the line of scrimmage in man coverage, or his ball skills at the catch point, Gardner does just about everything exactly as you’d teach a young cornerback to do it. When you combine his unique physical tools with his impeccable technique, you get the best cornerback in the NFL.
And as dominant as he is, there are still some areas where he can improve. Gardner will be just 24 when the season begins and has phenomenal work ethic, so his best might still be ahead of him – a scary thought for the Jets’ AFC East rivals.
In the latest Blewett’s Blitz film review, we break down 48 plays from Gardner’s 2023 season. Most of the review will focus on the technical aspects of Gardner’s game that have allowed him to become such an unbeatable player in coverage, while a small handful of plays will highlight minor weaknesses that can be fine-tuned to further his excellence.
The FULL, member-only Sauce Gardner breakdown (48 plays) can be found beneath the YouTube snippet (must be a Jets X-Factor member and logged into the site).
Member-only Sauce Gardner film breakdown
To view the full subscriber-only breakdown, you must be a Jets X-Factor member and logged in.
Get Started with the button below to become a member:
Log In with the button below if you’re already a member:
Connect with the button below if you’d like to create a free account first:
More New York Jets film breakdowns from Blewett’s Blitz:
- TE Tyler Conklin
- EDGE Jermaine Johnson
- DT Quinnen Williams
- C Joe Tippmann
- S Isaiah Oliver
- QB Tyrod Taylor
- DT Leki Fotu
- OT Morgan Moses
- G John Simpson
- WR Mike Williams
- DT Javon Kinlaw
- OT Tyron Smith
- EDGE Haason Reddick
- LB Jamien Sherwood
- S Ashtyn Davis
- TE Jeremy Ruckert
- S Tony Adams
- OT Carter Warren
- EDGE Will McDonald
- OT Olu Fashanu (Pre-draft and Post-draft)
- S Jaylen Key
- CB Qwan’tez Stiggers
- RB Isaiah Davis
- QB Jordan Travis
- RB Braelon Allen
- WR Malachi Corley
