2022 NFL Draft Prospects to Watch: Cincinnati vs. Alabama

Alabama WR Jameson Williams vs. Cincinnati CB Ahmad Gardner

This is the marquee matchup of the day, even if Cincinnati’s other corner Coby Bryant, who took home the Thorpe Award for the nation’s best defensive back, is assigned to Williams. But for the purposes of this article, we’ll look at how potential 2022 NFL Draft picks Williams and Gardner stack up.

Jameson Williams is the best wide receiver in the country. He’s fifth in the country in receiving yards (1,445), third in receiving touchdowns (15) and one of only eight receivers in the country to average 20 yards or more per catch (21.3). He’s big (6’2” 189) and fast (4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash in high school), and he’s excellent at tracking the ball on deep passes. There’s a smoothness and effortlessness to Jameson Williams’ play that needs to be seen to be explained. He’ll be a first rounder if/when he declares for the 2022 NFL Draft.

Williams likely won’t have an easy day on Friday though, because he’ll likely have American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year Ahmad Gardner covering him. Gardner is a Detroit native and has the size (6’3” 200 pounds) to match up well with Jameson Williams. It’s because of that size and his play style that I have Richard Sherman as a player comp for Ahmad Gardner.

Nicknamed “Sauce,” Gardner is a long physical cornerback with above average ball skills. He’s only allowed 12 catches for 87 yards this year on 26 targets. In addition to that, he has three interceptions and three sacks on the year. We’ll get to see how fast Gardner truly is on Friday, as there’s nowhere to hide when Jameson Williams goes deep. Who wins this matchup of 2022 NFL Draft prospects could go a long way in determining who’s going to ultimately win the game.