The New York Jets had a fantastic 2022 NFL Draft, leaving the draft with standout rookies on both sides of the ball. Both Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson received some massive honors for their impressive rookie seasons.
Both Wilson and Gardner received Rookie of the Year awards during the NFL Honors event on Thursday night, with Wilson being named the OPOY, and Gardner receiving the DPOY.
.@nyjets rookies take flight ✈️ #NFLHonors pic.twitter.com/15J8pmP35J
— NFL (@NFL) February 10, 2023
Gardner received a whopping 46 out of 50 first-place votes. Wilson, meanwhile, narrowly won the award over Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker.
Sauce Gardner received 46 out of 50 first-place votes for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. A dominant showing. #jets
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) February 10, 2023
AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year voting breakdown:
5 points for 1st; 3 points for 2nd; 1 point for 3rd.
First-place votes:
1. Garrett Wilson – 18
2. Kenneth Walker III – 19
3. Brock Purdy – 6
4. Chris Olave – 5
5. Tyler Allgeier – 1
8. Tyler Linderbaum – 1 pic.twitter.com/4xkShFmpwy— Rob Maaddi (@RobMaaddi) February 10, 2023
These accomplishments for the Jets stars is a very rare occurrence. It speaks to just how good of a job general manager Joe Douglas did in the 2022 NFL Draft.
This is only the third time in NFL history that two players from the same team have won Offensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Jet Sweep. ✈️🧹
For only the third time in NFL history, two players from the same team win OROY and DROY. @nyjets | @GarrettWilson_V | @iamSauceGardner pic.twitter.com/rpUOxQOt9E
— NFL (@NFL) February 10, 2023
Many around the NFL world took to social media to congratulate the Jets rookies for their terrific first season with the organization.
Imagine if they would have drafted Justin Fields the year before https://t.co/5BUfLpXwzi
— Kevin (@Daboys_22) February 10, 2023
The Jets take home BOTH the offensive & defensive rookie of the year awards! pic.twitter.com/sHOYtm8ZvL
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) February 10, 2023
Someone dip into Aaron’s darkness retreat and let him know Jets just swept both Rookie of the Year categories. pic.twitter.com/X22GcpuxGx
— Dan Hanzus (@DanHanzus) February 10, 2023
season ticket phone calls start in three, two, one…#takeflight #Jets https://t.co/4HWqKGr9BP
— Joe Favorito (@joefav) February 10, 2023
JET SWEEP! #Rookies https://t.co/EWuGMOx9bu
— Alan Hahn (@alanhahn) February 10, 2023
Perhaps the craziest thing about the Jets 2022 Draft Class is that another standout rookie potentially could have taken the Offensive Rookie of the Year award home if he didn’t suffer an unfortunate injury.
Standout rookie running back Breece Hall also made his mark in his rookie season before tearing his ACL. He took to social media to praise his fellow rookie teammates on social media.
Proud of my guys fr❤️ Love y’all @iamSauceGardner @GarrettWilson_V
— Breece Hall (@BreeceH) February 10, 2023
These extremely talented rookies may even be enough to convince Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to join them this offseason, who has been linked to them in numerous reports.
After the Jets’ epic collapse this season, Sauce Gardner proclaimed that the Jets would be a playoff team in 2023. If he and Wilson continue their impressive play, he may very well be right.
