Pats Pulpit
Previewing the Patriots cornerback heading into his third NFL season.
The New England Patriots’ 2024 season was a major disappointment, leading to some organization-wide changes both on and off the field. Not all was bad in the one season under head coach Jerod Mayo, though: after already showing considerable promise in limited action as a rookie, Christian Gonzalez took the expected Year 2 leap.
What can be expected from the young cornerback heading into his third season as a pro? Let’s assess in the first installment of our 2025 Patriots Player Profile series.
Name: Christian Gonzalez
Position: Cornerback
Jersey number: 0
Opening day age: 23 (6/28/2002)
Measurements: 6’1 3/8”, 205 lbs, 76 7/8” wingspan, 32” arm length, 9 1/2” hand size, 4.38s 40-yard dash, 41 1/2” vertical jump, 11’1” broad jump, 14 bench press reps, 9.95 Relative Athletic Score
NFL: England Patriots (2022-) | College: Colorado (2020–2021), Oregon (2022)
Playing various roles at The Colony High School in his Texas hometown, Gonzalez was named all-district in both his junior and senior seasons. A four-star recruit, he received offers from several high-profile schools, before deciding to commit to Purdue. He later flipped his commitment and joined the University of Colorado instead.
Gonzalez spent his first two college seasons with the Buffaloes, starting all 18 games and registering 73 tackles and 9 pass breakups. Following his 2021 sophomore year, however, he decided to take his talents to Oregon. Earning first-team All-Pac 12 honors, he produced the best season of his college career and, after deciding to leave college early, became a serious first-round candidate entering the NFL Draft.
Gonzalez was eventually selected 17th overall by the Patriots. A season-ending shoulder injury limited his rookie campaign to only four games, but he already showed considerable promise along the way. Returning without limitations in 2024, the young cornerback took his game to a new level and established himself as one of the NFL’s best players at his position.
In total, Gonzalez started all 20 of his NFL games so far. He has given up only two touchdowns while registering three interceptions and a fumble return for his first career score. He was named second-team All-Pro in 2024.
Strengths: As evidenced by his 9.95 Relative Athletic Score, Gonzalez has an elite profile that combines straight-line speed, explosivity and agility. He has proven himself capable of following the best wide receivers in the game without any help over the top, combining advanced hand usage with the reactionary skills and physicality to contend from the release, through the stem of the route and any breaks, to the catch point.
Not easily fooled by misdirection concepts or route combinations due to his natural poise and steady eyes, Gonzalez is at his best when allowed to play shadow man-to-man — following his assignment all over the field and almost creating a 10-on-10 situation. He uses the sideline, has impressive spatial awareness, and times his jumps well. He also recovers quickly when...
