3. Houston Texans: CB Derek Stingley Jr. LSU
Overall Rookie Grade: 50.8 (Rank: 24/35)
Principal Opponent: WR Robert Woods
Week 8 Snaps: 58
With the Titans' offense barely attempting to pass the football without
Ryan Tannehill at quarterback, Stingley largely spent his day in run support. His biggest negative came when he was stiff-armed to the ground by running back
Derrick Henry as he came around the corner on his way to a big gain. Stingley had Henry one-on-one on the play and barely slowed him down, but that’s about as tough an assignment as a cornerback is going to have in run defense. This wasn’t a game for him to showcase his coverage skills, which is what he does best.
4. New York Jets: CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, Cincinnati
Overall Rookie Grade: 83.9 (Rank: 2/35)
Principal Opponent: WR Jakobi Meyers
Week 8 Snaps: 77
Sauce Gardner had another excellent game, this time allowing
negative yards in coverage against
Mac Jones and the Patriots' offense. Gardner came up quickly to snuff out several quick passes, actually stopping plays behind the line of scrimmage. He even tried to disengage late from a
Hunter Henry block to be able to prevent a touchdown down by the goal line after another defender blew the assignment. Overall, Gardner already looks like one of the best cornerbacks in the league for the Jets.