Christian Gonzalez was the third cornerback and 15th-best prospect overall on B/R's final big board, primarily due to his combination of size (6'1" and 197 pounds), speed (4.38-second 40-yard dash) and versatility.
"Gonzalez has shown the versatility to play both press man and off man coverages, excelling in press and showing the lateral movement skills to mirror at the line of scrimmage," defensive backs scout Cory Giddings said in Gonzalez's scouting report.
"He does a good job of using his hands to reroute receivers and quickly gets in phase. When carrying receivers downfield, he has shown the speed to match his threats, while also getting his head around to locate and play the ball."
The Oregon product ended up being the third corner off the board when the New England Patriots took him with the 17th pick of the draft. He played well at the beginning of the season, allowing a 67.5 passer rating when targeted and earning a 79.3 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus.
However, a torn labrum in his shoulder cut the former Duck's rookie year short, as he participated in just four games.
Heading into 2024, Gonzalez has a great opportunity to pick up where he left off and become the No. 1 cornerback in New England this season as he received strong reviews from running mate Jonathan Jones during minicamp.
"[Gonzalez] has every attribute that you want in the corner," Jones said on June 12, via Pats Pulpit's Brian Hines. "He's just continuing to build his mental game. Physically, he's what you want in a corner, and he's just continuing to develop. He's going to be one of the best players in the game."
Look for the soon-to-be 22-year-old to make a name for himself as one of the top young defensive backs in the NFL this season.
