NFL Draft: Jets take Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner at No. 4, Garrett Wilson at No. 10, Jermaine Johnson at No. 26
Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad Gardner poses for photos after being picked by the New York Jets with the fourth pick of the NFL football draft Thursday, April 28, 2022, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – The Jets added Sauce to their defense, another Wilson on offense and an edge rusher for Robert Saleh to mold.
General manager Joe Douglas said the Jets could do something “special” in this draft if they hit it right. Saleh said it was a “dream” night.
The Jets selected Cincinnati junior cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner with the No. 4 pick in Thursday’s NFL Draft and used the No. 10 choice on Ohio State junior receiver Garrett Wilson.
Douglas wasn’t done. He then traded back into the first round and took Florida State edge rusher Jermaine Johnson with the No. 26 selection.
“You get three impact players at three premium positions, you dream of it happening,” Saleh said. “It was a really good day.”
The Jets had to upgrade the cornerback and receiver room, and edge rusher has been a position of need for a long time. They picked up a potential shut-down corner, gave Zach Wilson another weapon and grabbed a player they were considering with the 10th pick.
Douglas said the three players were in the top eight on the Jets’ board.
“We got better tonight,” Douglas said. “We feel fortunate that we were able to get three players that we feel can really help this team moving forward.”
With his first two picks, Douglas added two playmakers with great speed, and both are considered the top players at their position in his draft. When Johnson was still available at 15, Douglas and Saleh huddled and decided they would try to acquire another pick to take him.
Douglas then sent 35, 69 and 163 to the Titans for No. 26 and 101. The Jets grab the 6-foot-5, 254-pound Johnson, who went from junior college to Georgia to Florida State where he had 11.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss in his first season as a full-time starter.
“He’s got great athleticism, violence to his game, very smart,” Saleh said. “He’s probably the most pro ready of all the pass rushers this year as far as having a repertoire to his game. Something he can add to, really a perfect fit for what we do defensively.”
The Jets have the No. 38 pick in the second round Friday and four picks Saturday (Nos. 101, 111, 117 and 146). Douglas could try to package any of them to add another Day 2 pick.
Douglas also tried to acquire unhappy 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel with some of these assets. San Francisco has been reluctant to deal Samuel, though.
“When we were on the clock at 10,” Douglas said, “we didn’t field any calls.”
The Jets have won six games over the past two seasons the past two seasons and have missed the playoffs for 11 consecutive years. Douglas is trying to end that skid.
He’s had a good offseason to this point.
Douglas signed All-Pro left guard Laken Tomlinson, cornerback D.J. Reed, safety Jordan Whitehead and tight ends C.J. Uzomah and T.J. Conklin in free agency and had a big night Thursday.
The Jets needed someone who could lock down receivers, especially in the AFC East where Stefon Diggs and Tyreek Hill reside. The feeling is Gardner can be one.
The 6-foot-3 Gardner was a consensus All-American as a junior and someone teams didn’t throw at often. Gardner did not give up a touchdown in more than 1,000 career coverage snaps according to Pro Football Focus. He allowed just 13 catches for 117 yards last season.
“Sauce can do everything,” Saleh said. “He’s elite.”
Gardner said former Jets corner Darrelle Revis was one of his favorite players, and still watches film of him. Gardner also said he quickly built a relationship with the Jets coaches during his visit to their facility and felt “they were leaning toward” taking him.
The 6-foot Wilson said being drafted by the Jets gave him “a feeling of insane excitement.”
Wilson is a great fit for the Jets’ offense. He caught 70 passes last season for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns. One of his strengths is getting yards after the catch with his ability to make defenders miss. Wilson also has a good vertical and can go up and get balls in traffic.
Wilson joins a receiver room that features Corey Davis, exciting Elijah Moore, a second-round pick last year, and versatile Braxton Berrios. Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur should be able to open up the offense with this group. Garrett Wilson looks forward to playing with Zach.
“He’s got a lot of talent, especially arm talent,” Garrett Wilson said. “I’m excited to get up there and start getting some reps with Zach.”
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Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
