New England Patriots - NESN.com
The past few seasons have been rough for the New England Patriots, but there have been some bright spots. One has been the play of young cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who has quickly turned himself into one of the best players at his position.
Gonzalez was selected with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he immediately showed his potential as a rookie in four games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.
In 2024, Gonzalez suited up for 16 games, racking up 59 tackles, two interceptions, and 11 pass breakups. Those numbers, combined with his ability to consistently lock down the opposing team’s top wide receiver, earned him All-Pro Second Team honors, even though he was snubbed from the Pro Bowl.
Heading into his third season, Gonzalez is one of the top rising stars in the NFL. But what makes him so good? If you ask fellow All-Pro cornerback Marlon Humphrey of the Baltimore Ravens, he believes he knows the key to Gonzalez’s success.
“His smoothness and ability to get downhill on breaks, it seems like even when he might not have a step, he just hits closing speed and is next level,” Humphrey said of Gonzalez on the NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2025 list.
With a full season under his belt, Gonzalez came in at No. 84 on the aforementioned list, further solidifying his star status. Many Patriots fans felt that ranking was far too low for Gonzalez, considering he was a Second Team All-Pro.
In a way, Gonzalez could use this honor as a chip on his shoulder if he feels he should have been ranked higher. If the Patriots win more games in 2025, it could ultimately help boost his profile on a national level.
For now, Gonzalez will be enjoying some downtime before training camp rolls around. But once he retakes the field, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him take another step forward in New England’s new and improved defense.
