Cincinnati DB Considers Himself 'Best Player In The Draft'

In order to play cornerback in the NFL, you need big skills and a short memory, and Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner of the University of Cincinnati has both. Widely considered the top defensive back in this year's draft class, Gardner sent a not-so-subtle reminder to the league that he's more than just the draft's best DB - he's the top player.

"I'm the best player in the draft," Gardner tweeted Monday evening.

That's up for debate, but he does at least have some credentials to back his claim. During his 33 game collegiate career, he gave up as many touchdowns as you and I did - zero. The only difference is, he was playing against division athletes, many of whom competed for Power Five schools. We were playing against, well, nobody.

His play was impressive enough to catch Ravens QB Lamar Jackson's attention, who apparently agreed with Sauce's spicy take. "Come to the ravenz (sic)," tweeted Jackson.

Last fall, Gardner did more than just keep opposing receivers from the end zone. He snagged three interceptions and tallied three sacks for the one-loss Bearcats. His performance earned him AAC Defensive Player of the Year and All-American honors.

Though he later deleted his tweet proclaiming his status as the best, likely because of all the negative responses, Gardner later doubled down on his confidence.

"People call me cocky, but God knows how humble and confident I am, and how much work I put in to even be able to make that statement and that’s all that matters," tweeted Sauce. "The position I play takes a lot of confidence and at some times, cockiness."

We'll know soon enough whether NFL GMs feel like Sauce is the missing ingredient for their team. The first round of the Draft kicks off on April 28th.

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