Jets' Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson Land On Exclusive List

The New York Jets have some of the brightest, young talent in the National Football League.

The two guys who spring to mind the most are cornerback Sauce Gardner and wide receiver Garrett Wilson. CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin clearly agrees and ranked Wilson as the 25th-best player at 25 years old or younger and Gardner at No. 7.

"No. 25. Garrett Wilson," Benjamin said. "Age: 25 | Last year's ranking: 18. Wilson has yet to explode into alpha status despite making an instant impact out of Ohio State. Steady quarterback turmoil in New York hasn't robbed him of availability or consistency, however, as he's yet to miss a single game over three straight 1,000-yard seasons. Will he ever find a long-term partner under center?

"No. 7. Sauce Gardner. Age: 25 | Last year's ranking: 5. The hype from Gardner's first two seasons came to a halt in 2024, when the entire Jets organization crumbled to dust. That's more a testament to how masterful he was as a tight cover man to open his career. Though slightly built and lacking eye-popping interception marks, he leads the NFL in forced incompletions since his arrival."

These two have proven to be franchise building blocks over the last three years. The Jets clearly agree and picked up both of their fifth-year options on their rookie deals for the 2026 season. There also have been rumors growing about the possibility of both stars inking long-term extensions with the franchise this offseason.