Patriots rookie Christian Gonzalez attracts excessive reward from Ty Legislation: ‘We received us a cornerback’

Patriots

“When he will get anointed, we would must put 24 on him.”

New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (6) intercepts the ball against Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) in the fourth quarter. The New England Patriots hosted the Miami Dolphins in an NFL game on Sept. 17 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
Christian Gonzalez has performed 100% of defensive snaps to this point with the Patriots. Matthew J. Lee / The Boston Globe

Christian Gonzalez has solely performed two video games within the NFL ranks.

However the Patriots’ 2023 first-round decide positive appears like he belongs as a featured cog in New England’s protection.

The 21-year-old nook hasn’t been eased into his rookie marketing campaign. Together with taking part in 100% of New England’s defensive snaps this season as an outdoor nook, Gonzalez has primarily matched up towards among the prime wideouts within the league in Philadelphia’s A.J. Brown and Miami’s Tyreek Hill.

Regardless of these daunting assignments, Gonzalez is at the moment ranked third within the NFL amongst cornerbacks with a PFF grade of 82.6. 

After recording seven tackles and a sack towards the Eagles in Week 1, Gonzalez allowed simply two catches for 21 yards towards Hill and Jaylen Waddle in Week 2, whereas additionally snagging his first interception off a deep throw from Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa.

Amid New England’s early struggles, Christian Gonzalez has been as marketed as a budding No. 1 nook. And his spectacular begin has already caught the eye of a Patriots legend in Ty Legislation.

“Rattling it, we received us a cornerback,” Legislation stated throughout his weekly interview on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Present” on Tuesday morning. “I’m not gonna completely anoint him simply but. However he’s on the best way to anointment. … He’s on his means. I like what I see in Christian Gonzalez.”

With 53 profession interceptions and a bust in Canton on his resume, Legislation is an effective choose of elite expertise within the defensive backfield.

Gonzalez was considered a blue-chip expertise popping out of Oregon attributable to his athleticism, pro-ready body (6-foot-2, 205 kilos), and instincts out on the sector. However Legislation has been impressed by Gonzalez’s means to bodily interact with opponents, which was one of many few knocks towards him popping out of faculty.

“Christian Gonzalez, man — that dude. I have a look at the little issues,” Legislation stated. “To start with he was aggressive, he wasn’t afraid, and on the interception. … He picked it off at its highest level. He didn’t sit there and anticipate it to return down … He went up there and did it basically accurately.

“He did it on the highest level, giving himself an opportunity to make a play, and he did that. That’s one thing through the sport that lots of people don’t do. And he’s doing that at such a younger age and being aggressive and working with guys. He’s not afraid and I like him.”

For Legislation, the one flaw with Gonzalez’s transient, however spectacular, tenure in Foxborough to this point has been his selection in jersey quantity (No. 6).

“When he will get anointed, we would must put 24 on him,” Legislation joked. “You consider it, each time that there was a Tremendous Bowl that was received [by] the Patriots, there was a 24 on the market beginning [at] nook.”

Legislation received three Tremendous Bowls in New England whereas donning the No. 24 jersey, which was later worn by just a few different standout corners in Foxborough like Darrelle Revis (Tremendous Bowl XLIX) and Stephon Gilmore (Tremendous Bowl LIII).