The Houston Texans seek to add quality talent to the roster, and the 2022 NFL draft is the biggest step in putting together a competitive roster for the next few seasons.
The Texans seem to be in love with former Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad Gardner, who even spent time with coach Lovie Smith after his pro day.
If the Texans were to draft Gardner, who would he compare to in the pros?
According to Cynthia Frelund from NFL.com, the best comparison for Gardner is Super Bowl champion cornerback Richard Sherman — albeit with a longer wingspan.
Sauce stands 6-foot-2 3/4, but his wingspan is 79 3/8 inches. That wingspan is about 4.5 inches greater than his height, which is a significant difference. (Think of 2 inches as a difference that would typically get scouts excited about a prospect’s “long arms.”) Gardner’s arm length is 33 1/2 inches. To compare, back at the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine, Sherman measured 6-foot-3 with 32-inch arms. Why so much emphasis on arms? Well, long arms can be more disruptive to wideouts from the line of scrimmage to the catch point. And if a corner is burned or out of position in terms of hip alignment, long arms can make up a fraction of a second in coverage. That sounds minimal, but it can mean the difference between a pass breakup and a catch (or penalty). Gardner posted three interceptions in each of this three seasons at Cincinnati, impressive (and strikingly consistent) ball production for a cornerback who was tested less and less as his star rose. Even more remarkable: According to Pro Football Focus, Sauce didn’t give up a single touchdown pass in his college career. Over 1,000 coverage snaps and zero TDs allowed!
Another comparison that Frelund presents is Antonio Cromartie.
The Texans could use someone to forge the identity for the Texans defense over the next few seasons, and if Gardner is indeed like Sherman, it would behoove Houston to make that investment.
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