Sauce Gardner 40 time: How fast is Aaron Rodgers' teammate?

Reigning defensive rookie of the year, Ahmed Sauce Gardner is a player on the rise, and he will likely get better in the coming years. Compared to Jalen Ramsey, the second-year Pro just got a new quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, and the sky seems to be his team's limit.

Sauce Gardner's biggest strength is his speed. As a former Cincinnati University alum, he is one of the fastest players at the cornerback position in today's NFL. Gardner ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds, the fastest 40 times ever posted at the Combine by a cornerback with Gardner's height and length (at least 6-foot-2, wingspan of 79+ inches, and arm length of 33.5+ inches).

Simply put, Sauce Gardner is a force of nature, and the entirety of the NFL knows it.

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How did Sauce Gardner perform in his rookie season?

Sauce Gardner had a rookie season for the ages, culminating in a defensive rookie of the Year award for his efforts. The New York Giants drafted Gardner with the fourth pick of the 2022 Draft, and he quickly became the side's starting cornerback.

Gardner was selected for the 2023 Pro Bowl Game, joining Tariq Woolen of the Seattle Seahawks as the only other rookie. He also earned the respect of the press and his peers, as he was a first-team All-Pro selection, becoming the first rookie CB to achieve the honor since Ronnie Lott in 1981.

Sauce Gardner put up a stat line of 75 total tackles, 20 pass deflections (led the league), and two interceptions in 17 games. He lived up to his sauce nickname in his first year in the big leagues.

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Who is the fastest cornerback in NFL Combine history?

The fastest cornerback in NFL Combine history is Kalon Barnes, who broke the record in the 2022 NFL Combine. Kalon Barnes ran the 40-yard sprint in a staggering 4.23 seconds. He was close to breaking the all-time official record set by John Ross, whose time was 4.22 seconds. Barnes was later selected in the seventh round of the 2022 Draft by the Minnesota Vikings.

Here are the five fastest times for CBs in NFL Combine history:

1. Kalon Barnes, Baylor (2022 Combine): 4.23
2. DJ Turner II, Michigan (2023 Combine): 4.23
3. Tariq Woolen, UTSA (2022 Combine): 4.26
4. Stanford Routt, Houston (2005 Combine): 4.27
5. Champ Bailey, Georgia (1999 Combine): 4.28