The Jets’ three first-round picks began their journey together on a private jet flight Thursday night from Las Vegas to New Jersey.
Cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, wide receiver Garrett Wilson and defensive end Jermaine Johnson II became linked together forever when the Jets selected them in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Jets hope the trio have a long career together and are part of turning around the franchise’s fortunes — something all three sounded up for on Friday afternoon at their introductory press conference.
“This team’s going to be real special,” Gardner, the No. 4 overall pick, said.
The three young players likely have no idea what they are getting into. The Jets have missed the playoffs for the past 11 seasons and are tied with the Giants for the worst record in the NFL over the past five years. Plenty of draft picks have walked in the door at One Jets Drive in recent years vowing to change the team’s losing culture. So far, none has succeeded.
Jets fans are excited after the three-pick night Thursday that could be transformative.
“We’ve come here to be the best teammates we can be and sacrifice whatever it takes so we can win and turn the program around,” Gardner said. “No matter what it takes, we’ll do whatever it takes.”
The three embraced the spotlight on Friday, showing they are not afraid of the pressure they will face as first-round picks.
“We come from the limelight,” said Johnson, who starred at Florida State last year after beginning his Division I career at Georgia. “It ain’t nothing new to us. We’ve been leaned on before as those guys on the team. I think we’re going to attack it. We ain’t going nothing else but be ourselves and the best teammates we can be.”
Typically, a first-round pick faces different pressure than any other player, but the Jets now have three players who will face that pressure together.
“Coming in and having two other dudes doing the same thing as you takes some of the pressure for real. It’s a blessing,” Wilson said.
One of the highlights of training camp this summer will be the daily battles between the team’s top two picks — Wilson and Gardner. The two actually played against one another in 2019, when Ohio State and Cincinnati squared off. The Buckeyes won that one 42-0 and Gardner said he covered Wilson in the fourth quarter.
Gardner said he’s looking forward to them facing off this summer.
“I would say real competitive,” Gardner said when asked what those matchups will be like. “At the end of the day, we have the same goal, to win, but we’re going to make sure we battle. Iron sharpens iron. We’re going to just keep making each other better.”
Wilson agreed.
“He’s going to push me to be my best,” he said. “I’m going to try to push him to be his best. That’s where greatness comes from. That’s what we’re going to try to bring out of each other.”