New England Patriots rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez is living up to the hype, and he has been able to impress both coaches and teammates.
NESN.com’s Zack Cox noted that Gonzalez looks like a “plug-and-play starter.” This would be a tremendous boost for the New England secondary and provide further validation of Gonzalez’s selection in the first round. The rookie tallied four interceptions last season at Oregon in addition to 50 total tackles.
His work ethic has been noticed by his teammates as well. When speaking with media members, safety Kyle Dugger talked up Gonzalez’s on-field abilities, saying he made everything seem “effortless.”
Kyle Dugger on Christian Gonzalez: “It’s pretty effortless just the way he does everything.”
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) June 6, 2023
New England has had a history of developing at the cornerback position.
J. C. Jackson and Jonathan Jones are just some of the more recent examples. Ty Law is another example from years gone by. New England has been criticized over the years for not developing certain positions, but corner is a spot where they have been able to get a lot of production.
The Patriots undoubtedly need a weapon in the secondary to compete with the offensive talent in the AFC East. Gonzalez has the potential to be that weapon, and he is making a strong first impression so far.
