This week’s opponent for the Detroit Lions, the New York Jets, features an impressive young defense headlined by a top-5 overall draft pick playing lights out as a rookie. Jets CB Sauce Gardner is playing some great football as a rookie and is helping spearhead a huge rise in the standings for the Jets. Naturally, that’s going to lead to some questions about if the Lions considered taking Gardner with the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
“We thought about a lot of different guys,” Campbell acknowledged. “But I never really felt like it went there for (GM) Brad (Holmes) and myself. We felt pretty comfortable with where we wanted to go with it.”
The Lions, of course, chose Hutchinson with the No. 2 pick. Hutchinson and Gardner are the clear front-runners for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Interestingly, both are Detroit natives; Gardner is an alum of Martin Luther King HS in Detroit.
Campbell went on to praise Gardner, who leads the NFL in PDs with 16.
“He would fit perfectly in pretty much any defense,” Campbell said. He also noted the impressive confidence and demeanor Gardner carries himself with, clearly appreciative of the instant impact Gardner has brought to the NFL.
