Christian Gonzalez was one of the most sought after cornerbacks in a highly touted draft class at the position in 2023.
After being chosen No. 17 overall by the Patriots, Gonzalez showed plenty of promise through his first four games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.
Finishing his rookie campaign with 17 total tackles, one interception, and three pass breakups, the hope in New England is that Gonzalez can get back on the field fully healthy this fall and make an even more substantial impact on first-year head coach Jerod Mayo’s defense.
At least one NFL analyst is bullish on Gonzalez’s sophomore season.
New England Patriots’ Christian Gonzalez Named to All-Breakout Team
CBS Sports NFL analyst Josh Edwards put together his All-Breakout Team for the upcoming NFL season, with Gonzalez listed as one of the three cornerback selections.
“Gonzalez was among the league’s best rookies until he sustained an injury in October,” Edwards writes for CBS. “Although Bill Belichick is gone, Jerod Mayo remains in control of the operation. With his length and collegiate ball production, Gonzalez is well-positioned to bounce back. Stingley’s issues have been similar. Over the the course of two seasons, he has six interceptions and 14 games missed. Dating back to his freshman season at Baton Rouge, Stingley has been regarded as a top talent at his position.”
After Kyle Dugger emerged as one of the premier safeties in the league last season, if Gonzalez can live up to his pre-draft expectations, the Patriots will have to critical building blocks to a dominant defense in 2024.
Christian Gonzalez Sounds Off on Injury
As New England Patriots training camp nears, Gonzalez says that he’s ready to roll this season, after undergoing surgery to repair his injured shoulder.
“I’m good. Healthy, excited to go,” Gonzalez told reporters during a press conference in Foxborough this spring. “Focused on just getting better and coming in every day and just keep getting back to work.”
