DRAFT Christian Gonzalez

[jays52]

If this exact athletic profile was attributed to a receiver what would the tenor of the board be? I’d wager it would be a bit different given the accessibility of receiver for the average fan vs defensive back.

 

[jays52]

Even the haters admit Bill is the best when it comes to coaching up corners. They end up with the #1 guy? At 17? This is a huge win for the Pats.

McCourty was responsible for the DB play the past decade. We cannot count on that this year.

 

[Family]

I believe this secondary has the potential to be special..Gonzales...Jon Jones..Marcus Jones ...Jack Jones.

Heck we can even include Myles Bryant.

You would have received a "like" if you left out the last line!

 

[Triumph]

I love 0 for a corners number.

Thats how many playoff games the Pats are winning this season too.

Offense is the obviuos issue. so the Pats draft defense.

 

[Real fan 02]

I'd move 46 and others for a future first, if anyone would be so desperate to make the offer...
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
As for Gonzales, great pick at 17... Didn't think he'd be available... Really thought OT at 14... To me, the trade down suggests the tackle, if indeed it was a tackle, they were targeting was already gone, maybe Wright or Skoronski...

Hearing on eei this morning some push back on the pick.. however I disagree.. the team took probably the best CB in the draft. Agreed with your post excellent pick.. we'll fill in other holes day 2 and so on..

 

[upstater]

Speak of the devil...and he shall appear lmao. I do not consider myself an expert at all but I challenge you to show me a single piece of evidence that suggests Gonzalez can deliver tone-setting tackling nor any semblance of an attempt to deliver one. Press is a state of mind, not a body type. The boy has the body type to do it but as Bill Parcells famously said, "You can't teach a puppy that doesn't bite how to bite as a dog."

I don’t care if he’s not a tone setting tackler. There, I said it. It’s not anywhere near the top 10 things he needs to be for us

 

[slash83]

Thats how many playoff games the Pats are winning this season too.

Offense is the obviuos issue. so the Pats draft defense.

Relax, there’s more to come.

 

[Pape]

Hearing on eei this morning some push back on the pick.. however I disagree.. the team took probably the best CB in the draft. Agreed with your post excellent pick.. we'll fill in other holes day 2 and so on..

Not surprised... Has eei said anything positive about the Patriots in the past year?

 

[Rob0729]

Ok, I am not a big college football fan nor a draftnick. So I don't know Christian Gonzalez from Tony Gonzalez, but I like the pick. I like that the Pats got what was considered the best or second best CB on the board at a mid-first round spot.

This kinda reminds me of when the Pats drafted big Vince Wilfork. Wilfork was supposed to be a top 10 pick and considered the second best DT of his class after Tommie Harris, but fell because he got a rep of being lazy. So he dropped to the Pats at 21. Gonzalez was considered to be a top 10 pick and the best CB in the draft, but reportedly teams are concerned that he doesn't hit and he dropped to 17 and was the third CB taken.

I do like that he could be a shutdown CB for the Patriots. During the second dynasty era, the consistent thing on defense was great CB play with a #1 CB who could take away the #1 receiver. The Pats went from Revis to Butler to Gilmore. Butler was only short term elite or nearly elite, but it was the right season. Gonzalez has the potential to be this for the next ten years.

Again, judging a draft pick the day after is an exercise in futility (see how Tommie Harris was considered a top 10 pick and the best DT in the 2006 draft), but I like they dropped back in the draft and still got what is considered to be the best player in one of the three positions of the biggest need for the Patriots (CB, OT, WR).

 

[Jim Beankie]

Ok, I am not a big college football fan nor a draftnick. So I don't know Christian Gonzalez from Tony Gonzalez, but I like the pick.

Are you sure you're not Felger? He said that last night pretty close to verbatim while talking with Holley after the pick.

 

[Rob0729]

Are you sure you're not Felger? He said that last night pretty close to verbatim while talking with Holley after the pick.

I would like to say great minds think alike, but we are talking about Felger.

 

[Tunescribe]

Speak of the devil...and he shall appear lmao. I do not consider myself an expert at all but I challenge you to show me a single piece of evidence that suggests Gonzalez can deliver tone-setting tackling nor any semblance of an attempt to deliver one. Press is a state of mind, not a body type. The boy has the body type to do it but as Bill Parcells famously said, "You can't teach a puppy that doesn't bite how to bite as a dog."

Heh. You know, it takes a TON of humility to laugh your ass off assuming you are who I was referring to. But thanks for at least giving lip service to not considering yourself an "expert." At the risk of disappointing you, I have no interest in attempting to meet the "challenge" of some arrogant anonymous message board twit who believes he knows more than experienced analysts with actual affiliations/names attached. That is, folks saying things like this:

NFL Analyst Sees Christian Gonzalez Giving Patriots Different Dynamic

ESPN NFL analyst Louis Riddick sees Christian Gonzalez giving the Patriots secondary something they don't have.

nesn.com

And ESPN NFL analyst Louis Riddick believes Gonzalez is unlike any other cornerback already on the Patriots’ roster.

The one thing the 6-foot-1, 197-pound Gonzalez, who earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors this past season after recording four interceptions, seven pass breakups and 50 tackles, has that New England’s other cornerbacks don’t is strong size and length for the position.
“Bill now has someone from a size perspective is much different than the guys he already has,” Riddick said on the ESPN broadcast. “Look at him here in press coverage: He’s as smooth as silk, long arm, off-hand jam, pin the guy to the boundary, play the football. Off-coverage: easy, fluid hips. Great clue as far as reading the routes, reading the quarterback. … Run support, he will throw his body around. He is not scared. Bill will demand that of him in New England’s scheme.

“But really it’s the ball skills for him. It’s the ball skills from off (coverage), it’s the ball skills from press as far as being able to man-turn and still find the football, not commit pass interference penalties. He’s got his matchup guy now.”

More:

2023 NFL Draft Player Profiles: Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez

From now until the 2023 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and...

steelersdepot.com

"Against the run, he was willing to be force defender on the outside and funnel plays back inside. He is a good tackler in a one on one situation. When in space he plays under control and showed some vey nice wrap up tackles."

I don't know what emphasis should be placed on "tone-setting tacking" from a potentially elite cover corner vs. a safety or linebacker, but indications are that Gonzalez is at least adequate in that respect. He's just 20 years old, about to be tutored at the pro level by a hall of fame coach. Seems like good circumstances under which this puppy can grow some fangs.

 

[Steve102]

McCourty was responsible for the DB play the past decade. We cannot count on that this year.

Belichick's track record on corners is exemplary. This is a great pick for the Pats.

 

[Keyser Söze]

Thats how many playoff games the Pats are winning this season too.

Offense is the obviuos issue. so the Pats draft defense.

You’re *****ing and moaning? We’re all shocked.

 

[jays52]

Heh. You know, it takes a TON of humility to laugh your ass off assuming you are who I was referring to. But thanks for at least giving lip service to not considering yourself an "expert." At the risk of disappointing you, I have no interest in attempting to meet the "challenge" of some arrogant anonymous message board twit who believes he knows more than experienced analysts with actual affiliations/names attached. That is, folks saying things like this:

NFL Analyst Sees Christian Gonzalez Giving Patriots Different Dynamic

ESPN NFL analyst Louis Riddick sees Christian Gonzalez giving the Patriots secondary something they don't have.

nesn.com

And ESPN NFL analyst Louis Riddick believes Gonzalez is unlike any other cornerback already on the Patriots’ roster.

The one thing the 6-foot-1, 197-pound Gonzalez, who earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors this past season after recording four interceptions, seven pass breakups and 50 tackles, has that New England’s other cornerbacks don’t is strong size and length for the position.
“Bill now has someone from a size perspective is much different than the guys he already has,” Riddick said on the ESPN broadcast. “Look at him here in press coverage: He’s as smooth as silk, long arm, off-hand jam, pin the guy to the boundary, play the football. Off-coverage: easy, fluid hips. Great clue as far as reading the routes, reading the quarterback. … Run support, he will throw his body around. He is not scared. Bill will demand that of him in New England’s scheme.

“But really it’s the ball skills for him. It’s the ball skills from off (coverage), it’s the ball skills from press as far as being able to man-turn and still find the football, not commit pass interference penalties. He’s got his matchup guy now.”

More:

2023 NFL Draft Player Profiles: Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez

From now until the 2023 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and...

steelersdepot.com

"Against the run, he was willing to be force defender on the outside and funnel plays back inside. He is a good tackler in a one on one situation. When in space he plays under control and showed some vey nice wrap up tackles."

I don't know what emphasis should be placed on "tone-setting tacking" from a potentially elite cover corner vs. a safety or linebacker, but indications are that Gonzalez is at least adequate in that respect. He's just 20 years old, about to be tutored at the pro level by a hall of fame coach. Seems like good circumstances under which this puppy can grow some fangs.

Man, that’s a lot of ad-homonyms and copy pasted appeals to authority for a completely vacuous post. But I do appreciate your crush on me.

 

[Gator Mike]

According to RAS, this is Christian Gonzalez's closest athletic comparison.

 

[jays52]

Belichick's track record on corners is exemplary. This is a great pick for the Pats.

Exemplary like Jonathan Wilhite, Tyrone Wheatley, Joe Juan Williams, Ras-I Dowling, Devin McCourty (HOF caliber safety, yes, but busted at corner), should we look at the rest of the defensive backfield as well and consider all nine thousand of the busted safeties too? It wasn’t until McCourty quarterbacked the secondary that the NE defensive back pipeline became a thing. The patriots don’t have the Brady of the secondary who elevated everyone around him anymore. It is poor strategy to rely upon it.

 

[Tunescribe]

Man, that’s a lot of ad-homonyms and copy pasted appeals to authority for a completely vacuous post. But I do appreciate your crush on me.

Yeah, I was worried it wouldn't satisfy your challenge. Sorry to waste your time but at least you've got the nearest mirror handy to provide comfort.

 

[PScottman]

nice wrap up tackles

The Patriots already have a bevy of "hitters" - Duggar and Peppers most notably (even Phillips), but that's the LBs job as well. McCourty was the exact same thing - a wrap tackler (which BTW is much more fundamentally sound football) vice a "hitter". The "he'll fail because he doesn't hit" is the epitome of finding fault just for the sake of being contrary.

 

[jays52]

The Patriots already have a bevy of "hitters" - Duggar and Peppers most notably (even Phillips), but that's the LBs job as well. McCourty was the exact same thing - a wrap tackler (which BTW is much more fundamentally sound football) vice a "hitter". The "he'll fail because he doesn't hit" is the epitome of finding fault just for the sake of being contrary.

The first by-line in the leaked Browns requisite manual written by Belichick on defensive backs is, (something to the effect of) “must be a fierce tackler”. The Patriots when they are at their best play a game of attrition. You cannot implement attrition without physicality.