'Sauce' Gardner excited by what Jets are cooking up
From left to right, Ahmad Gardner, Jermaine Johnson and Garrett Wilson pose for a portrait while holding Jets jerseys on Friday in Florham Park, N.J. Credit: AP
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Sauce Gardner felt as if he were on a roller coaster after the Jets drafted him with the fourth pick Thursday night. Then he saw Garrett Wilson wearing a Jets hat and Gardner’s head started really spinning.
He said to himself, “It’s going to be crazy.”
A little later, Gardner was on the phone with Jets cornerbacks coach Tony Oden, who informed him that they had just made a trade and were taking edge rusher Jermaine Johnson. Gardner’s heart was pumping even more.
“I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah, this team is going to be real special,’ ” he said.
General manager Joe Douglas covered a lot of ground and made big improvements to the roster in the first round of Thursday’s NFL Draft.
He got a potential shutdown cornerback in Gardner, used the No. 10 pick on the draft’s top receiver in Wilson and made the move to grab Johnson at 26.
There was definite excitement in the Jets’ building and from their fan base after what could prove to be a momentous night for the organization. These three players are expected to be big parts of the Jets’ future as the team attempts to end an 11-year playoff drought.
“We’re coming here to be the best teammates we can be and sacrifice whatever it takes so we can win and turn the program around,” Gardner said. “No matter what it takes, we’re going to do whatever it takes.”
The future was on display as the three new Jets sat side-by- side during their introductory news conference on Friday. They have been spending a lot of time together since Thursday night, getting to know one other.
They were all in Las Vegas for the draft and flew to New Jersey together on a private jet — or “PJ,” as Johnson referred to it. They slept a little and then came to the Jets’ facility to meet with ownership, management and the coaches.
“We were greeted with open arms and a ton of energy, a ton of excitement,” said Johnson, who was featured on the Netflix documentary ‘Last Chance U.’ “We know we’re loved and we’re wanted, and we couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this organization.”
The energy, no doubt, came from coach Robert Saleh. The Jets posted videos of the calls that the organization made to each player. Saleh’s exuberance and passion were on full display. He loudly screamed “SAUUUUCE!” into the phone before Gardner was announced as the pick.
Gardner said he grew up watching former Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis as well as Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay. Teams didn’t throw at Gardner much when he played for Cincinnati. He didn’t allow a touchdown in his three-year career.
He and Wilson, who caught 70 passes and 12 touchdowns for Ohio State last year, remembered going against each other when they were freshmen. They’re already looking forward to squaring off on the field in practice.
“He’s going to push me to be my best and I’m going to try to push him to be his best,” Wilson said. “That’s where greatness comes from.”
“I’m here to give the Jets everything I have,” Johnson said. “That’s definitely on the list. That comes with me giving everything I got and these other guys giving everything they got. We’ll gladly embrace that.”
n No Deebo
The Jets reportedly made an offer that included the No. 10 pick for receiver Deebo Samuel, but the 49ers rebuffed them. According to The Athletic, the Jets offered the No. 10 and a fifth-rounder for Samuel and San Francisco’s second-round pick. It wasn’t enough to get Samuel.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
