One of the most welcome surprises for the Oregon Ducks in 2022 was the strong play of cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
Gonzalez was recruited as a 4-star CB by the University of Colorado and put up two solid years in Boulder before coming to Oregon. Gonzalez was anticipated to be a solid addition to the Ducks’ defense, but his output last season was a large improvement from his play at CU and exceeded all expectations.
After his stellar 2022 campaign, Gonzalez is projected to be a first-round draft pick, likely being taken with one of the first 15 picks. Ahead of the draft, an anonymous NFL defensive coordinator said this to The Athletic.
“He probably has the best measurables in a corner to come out since maybe Jalen Ramsey. He’s not an absolute savage and doesn’t have that cornerback attitude, but the coaches at Oregon’s say he’s a no-brainer and is gonna work hard,” he said.
The Athletic also surveyed two unnamed NFL defensive backs coaches. The first gave strong reviews for Gonzalez while the second wasn’t so sure.
DB coach 1: “I think he’s unbelievable. He’s so talented. The most ready-made guy out here. His technique is really sound.”
DB coach 2: “I’m a little fearful of his demeanor. He’s not really wired like a corner. Against his best competition, he struggled. Against Georgia, he struggled. Drake London the year before really got after him. I think he’s really good in press. The other thing about him is (that) the wide receiver appears covered all the time because he’s so big and long, and he does have great recovery speed. His judgment and winning at the top of the route isn’t as great, and you’ll see him misjudging balls a little when he’s in position. Not gonna be a physical tackler at all.”
In summary, there seems to be a consensus that Gonzalez has the athletic traits required to be a successful NFL CB, but there may be issues with the mental side of his game. The defensive coordinator said that he “doesn’t have that cornerback attitude.” This could mean there are concerns about his ability to focus on detailed aspects of a one-on-one matchup. It could also mean that he is unsure of Gonzalez’s ability to brush off mistakes — something that is vital for CBs to be able to do.
It is always difficult for NFL organizations to identify which college cornerbacks will be successful as pros and which ones won’t. While there are concerns about Gonzalez’s mentality, he is still a highly sought-after prospect and hopefully, he can be impactful to whatever defense he will soon be a part of.
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