Latest news with #DefensiveRookieOfTheYear
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sauce Gardner falls in latest cornerback rankings from ESPN
Few players have made a bigger, more immediate impact in the NFL than Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner. Immediately after the New York Jets selected him 4th overall in the 2022 NFL draft, he won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, and was then selected as a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler in each of his first two seasons. This electric start to his career is a big reason why he just signed a historic contract extension. Unfortunately for Gardner, his 2024 season was a bit of a fall from grace. The entire Jets team struggled, especially in the aftermath of the firing of Robert Saleh, and even a two-time All-Pro was not immune to the setbacks. Gardner ended the season without any accolades for the first time in his career. While no one is predicting a cataclysmic slide for Gardner, there are now people around the league who wonder if perhaps Gardner's explosive entry into the NFL was more of a fluke than his real self. This sentiment is reflected in the latest rankings from ESPN, who polled anonymous NFL executives, coaches, and scouts to find the ten best players in each position group. This year, Gardner checks in at No. 5, a drop of two spots from last year's list. The highest vote cast for him was at No. 3 while at least one respondent had him entirely outside of the Top 10. One AFC staffer did not mince words when it came to Gardner: 'Lots of missed tackles and penalties and didn't make many plays last year. Too much, too soon and thought the NFL was easy.' Jets fans won't want to hear it, but that's spot-on analysis. Even in college, the big knock on his game was how much he grabbed and held receivers when he failed to win a matchup. As a rookie, Gardner appeared to inexplicably get away with a ton of uncalled holding or interference penalties. In 2024, however, the flags started to come out and Gardner struggled to respond. Another respondent, an NFC defensive coach, concurred, saying, '...he was getting put in conversations that I didn't think were legitimate or fair. When I watch the film, I see a top ten cornerback. I don't see the top three.' That's about as straightforward as it gets. Harsh, but not out of line. The analysis isn't all bad, however. Pro Football Focus is still a believer in Sauce, who they ranked as the NFL's top cornerback heading into the 2025 season. But Gardner appears to have some doubters around the league now, maybe some who had doubted him all along, and it's up to him to prove them wrong in 2025.
New York Times
10-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How Jared Verse and Braden Fiske became the Rams' Fearsome Twosome
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. — One week after Jared Verse was presented the Defensive Rookie of the Year award at NFL Honors, he returned to the Los Angeles Rams' practice facility. Braden Fiske was waiting for him. Fiske, a defensive end, and Verse, an outside linebacker, were finalists for the award, along with Eagles defensive backs Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell and Dolphins outside linebacker Chop Robinson. Advertisement An argument could be made that Fiske was the most deserving. He had 8 1/2 sacks to Verse's 4 1/2. Verse had the edge in quarterback hits, 18 to 10. Verse was named Defensive Rookie of the Month in September, and Fiske won the award in November. Fiske thought he might have clinched the award in an early December game against the Saints. He picked up what appeared to be a fumble by quarterback Derek Carr and returned it 58 yards for a touchdown. Then the play was called back and ruled an incomplete pass. Verse was the leading vote-getter by a wide margin. He had 417 vote points — 183 more than Mitchell and 321 more than Fiske. Fiske says losing to Verse felt like 'a stab in the heart.' But it wasn't fatal. 'Next time, it's for the big one,' Fiske told Verse at the Rams' facility. 'I'll see you when they give out the Defensive Player of the Year award.' Verse already knew what Fiske was thinking — as usual. As college prospects, neither Verse nor Fiske was highly regarded. Fiske was a three-star recruit as an offensive lineman at Michigan City High School in Indiana. He had three more stars than Verse, who played tight end and defensive end at Central Columbia High School in Pennsylvania. Each had one offer — Verse to Albany and Fiske to Western Michigan. Unlike Power 5 student-athletes, they had to work for spending money. Both delivered for DoorDash. Verse also took a job at Amazon, and Fiske cut down trees for Jon's Tree Service. During the COVID-19 lockdown, Verse altered his training and diet, gaining 40 pounds. Then he had nine sacks in 2021, making him one of the most sought-after players in the transfer portal. It wasn't until the next year — Fiske's fifth season — that he broke out at Western Michigan with six sacks and 12 tackles for a loss. That's when he caught the attention of Florida State and many other big-time college football schools. Advertisement Shortly after choosing Florida State, Fiske walked into the training room. He heard Verse before he saw him because Verse is loud enough that nearby babies should wear noise-canceling headphones. Fiske, meanwhile, is quiet enough to sneak up on you like an electric vehicle. Fiske told Verse that Fiske was going to be one of the best things that happened to him that year. And he had a feeling Verse would be one of the best things that happened to him. They are dissimilar in many ways, but Fiske, the son of a steelworker, and Verse, the son of an engineer, share an overwhelming need to prove themselves competitively. While Fiske was initially held out of practice because of a recent shoulder surgery, Verse noticed how much time he spent trying to improve himself. And once Fiske returned to practice, his presence reverberated. 'I'm like, 'Oh, this dude's not playing,'' Verse says. 'He got to the quarterback before me on one play. I said, 'I can't let that happen again.' So we started competing and becoming more vocal with each other. I'm like, this is going to be a good relationship.' Whether it was a game or practice, they went hard to beat each other to the quarterback. Every lift in the weight room was a competition. Whenever a Seminole committed a penalty, the whole team paid with post-practice sprints. While most of the players went through the motions, Verse and Fiske lined up next to one another and went all out, intent on finishing a step ahead of the other. Each wanted to stay in the cold tub longer than the other. Who was more flexible in stretches? It was a contest. They watched tape together, just the two of them as daylight disappeared — but it became an endurance test, with neither willing to stop before the other. On and on it went, for an hour, an hour and a half, two hours. Advertisement Over time, the competition changed them. When two cyclones circle and merge into one with greater force, it's called the Fujiwhara effect. In their last three college games, Fiske and Verse combined for 9 1/2 sacks — the Fujiwhara effect. Somehow, they weren't opposing one another as much as complementing. And as they enhanced their skills, they developed a shared intuition. Against Louisville in the ACC Championship Game, Verse looked at Fiske without saying a word. Verse's eyes told Fiske he would take the up and under, and Fiske should wrap around the tackle. The result was a sack. 'We just gave each other a nod like, take your shot,' Fiske says. 'I have more of a feel with him than anyone.' 'I never had a sixth sense with another player like this,' Verse says. Among those who noticed was Rams general manager Les Snead. 'That was one of those games that as you studied it, you're saying, 'Wow, these two are really symbiotic,'' he says. 'They are in the rhythm, right? They're on the same wavelength.' The more time they spent together, the more they looked beyond how they could benefit from each other, developing appreciation and affection. 'I wish more people could see how caring, giving and respectful he is with everybody, the way he uplifts people, brings energy to a room and changes the entire environment wherever he's at,' Fiske says. 'I love Fiske,' Verse says. 'That's one of my best friends right there, one of the best people I've met.' While watching tape during their final stretch of college games, they considered the possibility of continuing together in the NFL. Fiske: 'Imagine if that happened. It would be insane.' Verse: 'There is no way 31 teams would let that happen. There's no way.' The talk about remaining teammates continued as Fiske became a postseason riser. At the Senior Bowl, the offensive linemen he practiced against voted him Player of the Week. At the combine, he finished first in his position group in the 40-yard dash (4.78), broad jump (9-9), vertical jump (33 1/2) and short shuttle (4.37). Advertisement Snead chose Verse with the 19th pick of the first round. Then he had a day to ponder the second round — to envision Verse with Fiske as a Fearsome Twosome. 'We always thought there was a possibility that what they had together would carry over,' Snead says. 'We discussed that they would be closer to being on the same wavelength with each other than two strangers meeting for the first time.' Fiske's connection with Verse wasn't the reason the Rams wanted him — it was one of many. They saw so much value in him that they traded up to take him, giving up a 2024 fifth-round pick and a 2025 second-round pick to move up 13 spots. They tried to trade up higher but couldn't find a partner. Snead was trying to win football games, not produce a Disney movie. He might have done both. On the second day of the draft, Fiske was watching with about 200 friends and family members at Zorn Brew Works in Michigan City when his phone rang. It was Snead, telling him he was a Ram. Fiske's first words: 'That's unbelievable. I'm playing with Verse again.' Snead handed the phone to Rams coach Sean McVay, who told him, 'I can't wait to see you two back in action again together. Then McVay gave the phone to Verse, who had just arrived at the Rams' draft house and didn't yet know Fiske had been drafted. 'Jared,' McVay said, 'talk to your new teammate Braden Fiske.' Then the big men put their heads down and let the emotion flow. Incredible emotions as Jared Verse joined the Draft call to his @FSUFootball teammate Braden Fiske 😭 The Rams drafted them twenty picks apart. (via @RamsNFL) @JaredVerse1 @bradenfiske55 — NFL (@NFL) April 29, 2024 'We worked hard together and talked about something like this,' Fiske says. 'For it to actually transpire was the ultimate. He and I saw a vision start to blossom on that call.' 'I knew how much that moment meant to him because we spent so much time together,' Verse says. 'To see that come true for him, and then to get one of my best friends back on the field with me? Dude, I couldn't compare that feeling with anything.' Advertisement For their first rookie practices, the Rams arranged for Fiske and Verse to room together in a hotel near their facility. Verse arrived first and FaceTimed Fiske to show him their room. Instead of a suite with two bedrooms, as they had anticipated, it was a single bedroom with two queen beds side by side. The arrangement would have led to an Oscar and Felix dynamic. 'The way he is off the field is the way he is on the field — loud and disruptive,' Fiske says. 'I couldn't be that close to him for a month and a half.' Their request for separate rooms was granted, but in the weeks that followed, they were as difficult to separate as the North Pole from the South. Acclimating to a new team, scheme and environment was less difficult because they had one another. 'Having him there gave me confidence,' Fiske says. Even though Fiske is in bed by 9 most nights and believes sunglasses are for reducing glare, he has blended well in Los Angeles. Verse, meanwhile, has a smile that could outshine anything on Hollywood Boulevard. As he continues to expose his personality and blockers, Verse could become the closest thing the Rams have had to Deacon Jones. During their time in Southern California, Verse and Fiske have dined out together and hung out at a mall. However, their relationship has still mostly been about trying to outdo one another. They have competed in bags. Fiske has lured Verse into a batting cage, where he has an advantage as a former high school baseball player. Verse says Fiske won't try him on the basketball court. Fiske can't get Verse on the golf course, where he claims he would dominate. 'Before every play, we look at each other like, who's going to get there first?' Fiske says. 'The cool part is that it has fed to the rest of the defense. The D-line and outside linebackers are all competing.' Advertisement As they listened to Bears quarterback Caleb Williams' snap count before a play during a September game in Chicago, Fiske gave Verse a look. Verse knew what he meant — go high. Fiske came under and made his first NFL sack, as well as a strip. Then, on the sideline, he gloated. 'Are you a little jealous right now?' he said. Verse claims he has nothing to be envious of. 'I'm Fiske,' he says. 'Except leaner, quicker, bigger, taller and stronger.' Counters Fiske, 'In my mind, I'm more athletic and can do a little more.' Verse estimates he used a power rush 90 percent of the time as a rookie. He beat Dolphins left tackle Terron Armstead with a power move, and Armstead later said Verse was one of the players who led him to retire. In the offseason, however, Verse has developed his speed rush as a complement. 'That will give tackles something to be scared of,' he says. Fiske, meanwhile, focused on identifying his own tendencies in the run game. He also recommitted to being the best he can physically, stretching more and improving his diet. He weighs 293 pounds — up eight pounds — and says his body fat is lower. A tear in his patellar tendon required arthroscopic surgery, but he returned to practice in the spring. 'With the way those two attack Monday through Saturday and then show up and play, I'm pretty sure opposing offensive linemen are going to be saying, 'I wish we weren't playing these guys because it's going to be 65 hard, hard downs,'' Snead says. Fiske calls Verse a 'crucial part of my journey' and credits him for elevating his game. Verse says being reunited with Fiske was probably the best thing that could have happened to him. 'There are certain people that you know are meant to be in your life for a very long time, people you need to keep in your life,' Verse says. 'Even if we had been drafted by different teams, I knew at one point we would have gotten back together because the chemistry and vibe we have is something you can't replicate.' Advertisement In two playoff games, Fiske and Verse combined for 3 1/2 sacks, and Verse returned a fumble 57 yards for a touchdown. Leading up to their final game in Philadelphia, Verse told the Los Angeles Times he hated Eagles fans, creating a furor. Before the game, in a glistening light snowfall at Lincoln Financial Field, Verse, in a sleeveless shirt, took a lap. As Philly fans booed and heckled, Verse put a hand to his ear. Then, in a peaceful pregame moment, he turned to Fiske. 'I need you,' he told him. Words, as usual, were not necessary.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jets' Sauce Gardner sends warning to opponents after offseason transformation
The post Jets' Sauce Gardner sends warning to opponents after offseason transformation appeared first on ClutchPoints. With the departure of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the New York Jets are facing another transition phase as they look to finally climb out of the cellar. Advertisement It seems the Jets are perpetually mired in mediocrity, missing the playoffs for 14 straight seasons—the longest drought by any team in NFL history. Despite their doormat status, Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner has remained optimistic. After all, as they say, the good thing about hitting the bottom is that the only way to go is up. On the Pat McAfee Show, the 24-year-old Gardner shared that he has put in the work this offseason as he looks to bounce back from the last campaign, which saw his numbers dip to career lows of 49 combined tackles and nine passes defended. 'I'm not gonna lie. This offseason has been, by far, my best offseason. I just left LA after training with my trainer. I feel great, you know,' said the two-time Pro Bowler. Advertisement 'I'm sitting about 200 pounds right now, and I don't think I've ever really played that heavy, but it's like the more weight and more muscle I put on, the more explosive and faster I'd become.' It's a fair warning to the rest of the league. Gardner, who's in his contract year, has always been a defensive stud, even being named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022. His offseason transformation should only bode well for him and the Jets, who won—grab a calculator—five games last season. Pushing the reset button should also aid the two-time All-Pro First Team member as the internal issues that hounded the Jets last year, including the firing of coach Robert Saleh and the palpable discontent of Rodgers, may have affected Gardner's psyche. Advertisement Gardner, fellow cornerbacks Brandon Stephens and Michael Carter II, and safety Andre Cisco are expected to hold the fort for the Jets anew. With Aaron Glenn, a former defensive coordinator, now calling the shots, defense will surely remain a centerpiece for the team. The Jets only allowed 313.8 total yards per game last season, a silver lining in what was another forgettable campaign. Related: Jets fans will love Breece Hall's 'win now' message heading into 2025 Related: Why Jets' Sauce Gardner is fired up to face Aaron Rodgers Week 1
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tennessee Titans' Kevin Winston Jr. tabbed as DROY candidate
The Tennessee Titans went heavy on the offensive side of the ball during the 2025 NFL draft, adding multiple potential playmakers to the roster. That doesn't mean they ignored the defense. They used two premium picks on that side of the ball and added players who can potentially make an impact in Femi Oladejo and Kevin Winston Jr. Both Oladejo and Winston have a chance to compete for playing time. However, Winston has been limited due to his medical issues as he continues to rehab his knee after suffering an ACL injury early in 2024. That doesn't stop Jacob Infante from naming Winston his choice as the Titans' Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate. Tennessee Titans: Kevin Winston Jr. The Tennessee Titans took just one defender in the first five rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft. Almost by default, Kevin Winston Jr. seems like their top contender for Defensive Rookie of the Year. As a third-round safety, his odds of winning DROY aren't incredibly high. That said, he's a hard-hitting defensive back with a high football IQ. If he gets the right opportunity, he could surprise some people. Advertisement His selection of Winston appears to be by default, after glossing over the Titans' second-round selection of Oladejo. There is no doubt that Winston could make an impact in 2025 if healthy. He is a complete safety prospect with the traits needed to succeed in the defense, but his biggest question will be his availability as he returns from injury. While Winston could make an impact, Oladejo has a more straightforward path to playing time early in the season. Oladejo may be inexperienced and raw on the edge, but he brings solid athleticism and an infectious attitude to the table, and comes complete with tremendous upside. With Tennessee needing increased production from the position, Oladejo may get an opportunity early on to impress. While it is likely that both players will see significant playing time, the Titans also added a veteran during the offseason at their respective positions, making training camp crucial for both young players to establish themselves. This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans' Kevin Winston Jr. tabbed as DROY candidate
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Takeaways from the odds for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
In 2024, the NFL draft went offensive-heavy and the defense took a back seat. The 2025 NFL was a switch and loaded on defense with a huge number of playmakers. So many so, there are eight players who are 15/1 or better odds to be the Defensive Rookie of the Year and 10 who are at least 20/1 odds or better. This is according to Fan Duel Sportsbook. Here's the full rundown of rookies with New York Giants edge defender Abdul Carter on top. Advertisement Abdul Carter (+250)Jalon Walker (+700)Travis Hunter (10/1)Mykel Williams (11/1)Shemar Stewart (12/1)Mason Graham (12/1)Mike Green (15/1)Jihaad Campbell (15/1)James Pearce Jr. (16/1)Jahdae Barron (20/1)Walter Nolen (25/1)Malaki Starks (25/1)Donovan Ezeiruaku (25/1)Maxwell Hairston (30/1)Will Johnson (33/1)J.T. Tuimoloau (33/1)Nic Scourton (35/1)Carson Schwesinger (40/1)Nick Emmanwori (40/1)Derrick Harmon (40/1)Trey Amos (50/1) This is an exhaustive list, but a few things stood out. First, while we love Travis Hunter as a prospect, his impact with the Jacksonville Jaguars is more likely to be on offense. Also, if we were placing a bet, we love safety Malaki Starks at 25/1 with the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens lost safety Ar'Darius Washington to a torn Achilles during offseason workouts, opening the door for Starks to be a huge impact defender. This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Abdul Carter favorite to win DROY
