Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, a cornerback with the National Football League’s New York Jets, was born on August 31, 2000. In the 2022 NFL Draft, the Jets selected him as the fourth overall pick after playing college football for Cincinnati.
Gardner attended Detroit, Michigan’s Martin Luther King High School. In high school, he was a cornerback and wide receiver.
Prior to his senior year in 2018, 247Sports ranked Gardner as one of the top 5 players in his class in the state of Michigan. Gardner caught four catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns in the Division 3 State Final.
Gardner participated in 11 games during his true freshman year of 2019. He made 31 tackles and three interceptions, returning two of them for scores. He also recorded eight pass breakups and 11 passes defended.
Gardner was the only true freshman to be named to the All-American Conference first team after the season. Gardner started the 2020 season as a starter at the top of the depth chart as a sophomore.
Gardner announced his intent to enter the 2022 NFL Draft after his junior year. The New York Jets took Gardner with the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. On May 7, 2022, he signed a four-year rookie deal worth $38.7 million that was completely guaranteed.