Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner and Garrett Wilson didn’t hide their excitement about being teammates when they took the podium together on Friday, but the first two Jets picks of the 2022 NFL Draft are also looking forward to going at it before the season begins.
Gardner, widely considered to be the best cornerback prospect in the draft, and Wilson, one of the top receivers in this year’s crop, will likely match up with each other in training camp this summer, which the two believe will only help them turn in even more productive rookie campaigns after going up against top-notch talent like each other as a tune-up for the season.
“I would say real competitive,” Gardner said of his expectations for those one-on-one battles. “At the end of the day, we have the same goal. We want to win. But we’re going to make sure we battle. Iron sharpens iron. We’re going to just keep making each other better.”
Gardner didn’t allow a single touchdown during his collegiate career at Cincinnati when he was the primary defender, while Wilson hauled in 12 touchdowns in his final season with Ohio State, finishing with 23 in his Buckeyes career that spanned 32 games. Something will have to give in training camp, and the two rookies believe they will be all the better for it once they are back on the same sideline when the season starts.
“He’s gonna push me to be my best, and I’m gonna try to push him to be his best,” Wilson said. “That’s where greatness comes from. That’s what we’re gonna try to bring out in each other.”
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