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2022 NFL Mock Draft: Jets Defense Rebuilt In 3-Round Projection

By Christopher Thomas

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - SEPTEMBER 18: Derek Stingley Jr. #7 of the LSU Tigers warms up prior to a game against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Tiger Stadium on September 18, 2021 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - SEPTEMBER 18: Derek Stingley Jr. #7 of the LSU Tigers warms up prior to a game against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Tiger Stadium on September 18, 2021 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /
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2022 NFL Mock Draft, Ahmad Gardner. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
2022 NFL Mock Draft, Ahmad Gardner. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

26. Kansas City Chiefs: Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, Cornerback, Cincinnati

After a slow start to the year, the Kansas City Chiefs are back in the thick of the AFC playoff picture. At this point, they appear to be the favorite to win the AFC West. However, the Chiefs have not looked like the offensive threat that they have been over the last couple of seasons. Their defense is actually what has won the Chiefs games over their last four games. Kansas City has limited their past four opponents to 11.8 points per game. That is an impressive feat considering their last four opponents were the New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Dallas Cowboys.

This offseason Kansas City should continue to build up their defense because it is important to continue getting good play from that unit in case the offense cannot consistently be the high-powered offense every week. One area on their defense they have not made major investments at is cornerback.

They are fortunate that 2020 fourth-round pick L’Jarius Sneed has become a very good player earlier in this career. But outside of Sneed, it is hard to trust any of the other Chiefs cornerbacks to cover the elite receivers around the league. The Chiefs traded Marcus Peters away and let Steven Nelson, Kendall Fuller, and Bashaud Breeland walk in free agency over the past couple of seasons. They cannot afford to continue ignoring their weak cornerback group if they want to continue to be a dominant force in the AFC.

In this 2022 NFL Mock Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs take Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad Gardner. Despite playing at Cincinnati Gardner has been one of the best cornerbacks in college football over the last couple of seasons. He has been outstanding locking down receivers every single week. The Chiefs defense could use a cornerback capable of locking down a top receiver on an opposing offense.

If the Chiefs build up their defense they could put themselves in a position to be the dynasty that everyone said they were once they made back-to-back Super Bowls.

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