Patriots Rookie CB Christian Gonzalez Lands Notable Preseason Grade

The New England Patriot played really smart with the addition of rookie cornerback Christian Gonzales and the talented player got some good words in the preseason.

Gonzales measures at 6’2’’, 201 pounds, meaning he has bigger frame than other defensive backs. Pro Football Focus provided some good grades for Gonzales, listing him as a promising player. The Oregon standout received a total grade of 67.7 from PFF, ranking 13^th among all first-round picks. He played 59 downs and ranked fifth among those who played at least 40. It’s safe to say that Gonzales is a bright spot on Bill Belichick’s squad at the moment.

“Cornerback Christian Gonzalez might just be the best athlete Bill Belichick has ever coached at cornerback,” per Fox Sports. “And that’s saying something, given the coach has worked with Ty Law and Stephon Gillmore, among others. So for the Patriots to get Gonzalez at 17 after trading back? That’s just awesome.”

Christian Gonzales gets words of praise in the preseason from his former coach

Ducks coach Dan Lanning had great words for the cornerback as well. He praised Gonzales’ physique and running. The new addition has insane ball skills and Patriots coaches will try to get the best of his game. Lanning claims that Gonzales is one of the better players he has ever worked with and emphasized his determination to improve.

“He is going to be one of the bigger DBs in the league, and the fact he can run as well as he can run at that size, I think, is a clear trait,” Lanning told ESPN. “He also has great ball skills, and ultimately from a mindset standpoint, the highs are never too high, the lows are never too low.

“He’s one of my favorite players I’ve ever coached — the ultimate professional. He has a demeanor that just means business, is a great kid, is always looking to improve, but also looking to be a great teammate. He never has to be the loudest voice in the room but shows up on game day and the performance speaks for itself.”