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Sauce Gardner has been elite since he first stepped on an NFL field two years ago.
The two-time All-Pro again was voted the NFL’s No. 1 cornerback by The Associated Press in a preseason survey. He also landed the top spot in 2023.
A panel of eight AP Pro Football Writers ranked the top five players at cornerback, basing selections on current status entering the 2024 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.
Gardner, who was selected No. 4 overall by the New York Jets in the 2022 draft, received five first-place votes. Patrick Surtain II got two first-place votes and L’Jarius Sneed received the other one.
Gardner allowed just 31 catches and only one TD for the second straight season on 55 targets. Quarterbacks had an 80.3 passer rating throwing his way. Gardner didn’t have any interceptions but only saw 3.4 passes per game coming at him last season. He had 11 passes defended.
Surtain, a two-time Pro Bowl pick, gave up 54 receptions and three TDs on 91 targets with 12 passes defended. Quarterbacks had a passer rating of 88.2 against him, up from 61.3 in his rookie season in 2021. Surtain had one interception.
McDuffie was an All-Pro slot cornerback last season. He yielded 50 catches and two TDs on 76 targets with seven passes defended. McDuffie had no interceptions but got three sacks and forced five fumbles.
Ward made his first Pro Bowl and was a second-team All-Pro in his sixth season in the NFL. He allowed 59 catches and three TDs on 109 targets. Ward picked off five passes, returned one for a TD and led the league with 23 passes defended.
Sneed didn’t allow a TD last season, holding QBs to 51% completion on 100 targets. He had two interceptions and 14 passes defended, and played a major role in solidifying Kansas City’s defense. But the Chiefs couldn’t retain Sneed in free agency and traded him to Tennessee for a third-round pick.
Sneed received one first-place vote and one fifth, appearing on two of eight ballots.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl