Tag: Christian Gonzalez

Every Oregon Ducks player selected in the first round of the NFL draft

A total of 23 Oregon players have been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft over the years. Here’s a look at the exclusive Duck club.

It’s become a yearly tradition over the past several years, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop any time soon.

On Thursday night, the streak of Oregon Ducks being selected in the first round of the NFL draft continued when the Denver Broncos selecting quarterback Bo Nix with the No. 12 pick. This is the fifth year in a row that Oregon has had a Duck drafted in the first round.

Nix is the 23rd Oregon Duck in school history to be drafted in the first round.

A year ago, it was cornerback Christian Gonzalez who became the 22nd player in Oregon Ducks’ history to be selected in the first round of the draft. He was also the fourth consecutive player to go in the first round for the Ducks, dating to 2020 when Justin Herbert went to the Los Angeles Chargers. Penei Sewell went to the Detroit Lions in 2021, and Kayvon Thibodeaux was drafted by the New York Giants in 2022.

Over the decades, there are almost two dozen men of Oregon who have heard their names called in the opening round of the draft. Here’s a look at the Duck legends.

Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez officially returning to his old college jersey number

Christian Gonzalez is officially switching back to his old college jersey number

Agent Zero is officially making a return in the 2024 season.

The New England Patriots’ second-year cornerback teased a return to the zero jersey number, which is what he wore during his last collegiate year at the University of Oregon.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed the news on Tuesday that the standout defensive back was indeed going back to his roots with the No. 0 jersey number.

“Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez will wear No. 0 this season, the same number he wore at Oregon,” Schefter posted on X.

Gonzalez teased things further with a picture of himself wearing a Patriots jersey with the No. 0 on it in a post on his Instagram stories.

Gonzalez looked like one of the best cornerbacks in the league before going down with a season-ending shoulder injury. So there’s no doubt the team will be glad to have him back on the field.

If last season’s sample-sized preview of Gonzalez is a sign of things to come, the Patriots defense, which was already great last season, is going to be significantly better in 2024.

Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez returns for Day 1 of offseason workouts

After suffering a season-ending injury in 2023, CB Christian Gonzalez was back for Day 1 of the Patriots’ offseason workouts

The New England Patriots began their offseason workout program on Monday, and second-year cornerback Christian Gonzalez was among those in attendance.

The Patriots official Twitter account made a post on X showing the corner arriving.

This is good news considering he suffered an injury in Week 4 of the 2023 season, ending what was a promising rookie campaign. He recorded 17 tackles, a sack and an interception in his short run. Now, he is looking to bounce back and fully assert himself into the Patriots’ cornerbacks room.

Gonzalez’s return is important with the Patriots struggling for depth at the position. Marcus Jones figures to be behind Gonzalez at the right corner spot, but beyond that, depth is scarce.

Gonzalez’s continued development and health will be important for the future of the New England secondary. So far, it appears as though he’s off to a good start.

Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez teases potential jersey number change

Will Christian Gonzalez be rocking a new jersey number come fall?

New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez may have a new number when the regular season kicks off in September. Gonzalez posted a cryptic picture on his Instagram story, hinting at a potential number change.

The standout defensive back was off to a strong start in his rookie campaign in 2023, before suffering a season-ending injury last October. He finished the year with 17 tackles, one interception and three passes defended. Even though it was his first season in the NFL, there were points when he looked like one of the best corners in the league.

Now, it looks like he may be turning the page on his rookie season entirely, as he teased a return to his old college jersey number, per WEEI’s Mike Kadlick.

Gonzalez is in prime position to have a stellar sophomore campaign, now that he’s fully healthy and ready to return. This could be the year he takes flight as a true difference-maker on the Patriots defense.

Where should Khyree Jackson want to land in the NFL?

Which NFL team is the best fit for Oregon Ducks CB Khyree Jackson?

The NFL Draft is two months away, and it is shaping up to be a historic one for the Oregon Ducks. In the 2023 draft, six Ducks were selected, the most since 2009, and there are likely to be even more for Ducks taken this year.

On the latest episode of the Sco-ing Long Podcast, co-hosts Zachary Neel and Jonathan Stewart, a former star running back for the Oregon Ducks who went on to play 11 seasons in the NFL, discussed potential NFL landing spots for each of the Ducks entering the draft.

One of the most interesting players they looked at is Khyree Jackson. Jackson was only at Oregon for one season, after starting his career in junior college and taking a stop at Alabama before becoming a Duck. Jackson had a phenomenal season with Oregon, finishing with 3 interceptions, 8 pass breakups, and an 80.5 PFF defense grade as the Ducks’ No. 1 CB.

Despite the strong year, Jackson is valued as a mid-to-late-round pick on most draft boards, but could make a strong impact wherever he ends up. As their ideal spots for Jackson, Neel picked the New England Patriots and Stewart picked the Seattle Seahawks.

“I put him in New England with the Patriots, playing alongside Christian Gonzalez. I just feel like, when is the last time that New England missed on a cornerback draft pick? Cornerbacks go there and they’re just good. Of course, they’ve got the new regime too; we’ll see if that continues with Belichick gone now. But if he ended up in New England, I would be like ‘Alright, he’s set. He’s not going somewhere that it’s a terrible situation, like a quarterback going to Cleveland.’” – Neel

“I can see him in Seattle. Secondary help is needed across everybody’s board in my opinion, you can never have enough. I think that the Seahawks, who knows what their plans are going forward now with the new regime, but if they’re going to do anything as far as trying to build the culture like they did before, that secondary is very important.” – Stewart

Seeing Khyree Jackson play in New England next to Christian Gonzalez would be amazing for Ducks fans to watch. The Patriots are probably a few years away from having a chance a make the playoffs, but still, it would be awesome to see their secondary anchored by two former Ducks.

Jackson in Seattle would also be great to see, as the Seahawks begin their post-Pete Caroll era. The Seahawks missed the playoffs in 2023, but they seem only a few steps away from being a playoff team again. One of their standouts last season was rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who would be a great player for Jackson to learn behind.

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Christian Gonzalez doing his part to recruit QB to Patriots

Did Christian Gonzalez shoot a recruiting pitch for his former college teammate?

With the 2024 NFL draft a couple of months away, Christian Gonzalez is recruiting a former teammate to the organization. The New England Patriots cornerback commented under a team Instagram post showing Oregon quarterback Bo Nix’s highlights at the Senior Bowl.

Nix was the starter for Oregon last season. He threw for 4,580 yards, 45 touchdowns and three interceptions. It was a breakout year for the quarterback, who transferred to Oregon prior to the 2022 season. He previously played at Auburn before spending his last two seasons at Eugene.

New England undoubtedly needs a quarterback, and they could be in a position to select one with the third overall pick in the upcoming draft. Gonzalez is doing his part in trying to get the quarterback to New England, simply commenting “Hey Bo” underneath the post.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C2yBKRAuzmH/?hl=en&img_index=1

It remains to be seen what the Patriots will do in the upcoming draft, but Gonzalez is clearly going to bat for his fellow Duck.

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Patriots Wire Podcast: Still thanks to be had in disastrous season

Yes, it’s bad. The Patriots are 2-8 and on the outs as playoff contenders. But there’s plenty to be thankful for with a much-needed rebuild in the works.

This has without question been the most disappointing season for the New England Patriots in the Bill Belichick era. The team has sunk to the bottom of the AFC with a 2-8 record, which is the worst in the conference.

It’s crazy to think the Patriots were hoisting their sixth Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LIII four years ago. Now, they’re one of the worst teams in the NFL and can’t even make the playoffs.

But this is a week for giving thanks, and in this week’s episode of the Patriots Wire Podcast, Ryan O’Leary and I do exactly that when talking about this season.

It hasn’t all been bad for New England.

There are reasons to hope for a better future with the franchise, starting with the massive rebuild that is likely to come in 2024.

Follow the Patriots Wire Podcast:
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Please, share with us your thoughts and opinions on the topics covered in this week’s show. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

What are you most thankful for when it comes to the Patriots this season? If you could have Thanksgiving dinner with any NFL coach, who would it be? Will the Patriots beat the Giants?

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Studs and duds midway into Patriots’ 2023 season

Here are the 2023 midseason studs and duds for the Patriots.

At the very least, the New England Patriots came into 2023 expecting things to be better than the disastrous 2022 season.

The offensive line wasn’t going to magically improve overnight, and even with the signing of Bill O’Brien as the team’s new offensive coordinator, there clearly wasn’t enough offensive talent for the unit to take flight completely.

But could they hover enough off the ground to matter with the hardest schedule in the league? So far, the answer has been a resounding no with the team sitting at 2-8 and the worst record in the AFC.

It has been a nightmare season filled with more downs than ups for the Patriots. The scariest part is the nightmare isn’t over. There are still plenty of games left to play before closing the curtains on 2023.

Here are the studs and duds for New England at the midway point of the season:

Patriots 2023 midseason awards: MVP, Comeback Player of the Year, etc.

It hasn’t been a pretty season, but there are still multiple Patriots players worthy of a mention. Here are the 2023 midseason awards for New England.

It hasn’t felt like a rewarding season so far for the New England Patriots, but even in a year marred with disappointment, there have been multiple players that have stood out on the roster.

Most of those players have been on the defensive side of the ball. Despite being riddled with injuries, the Patriots defense has competed valiantly on a weekly basis.

With a banged-up roster in Week 10, they somehow managed to hold the Indianapolis Colts’ top-10 scoring offense to only 10 points. At the beginning of the season, they looked like one of the best defensive units in the NFL.

Today, we’re handing out some 2023 midseason awards for Patriots players, including MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, Breakout Player of the Year and Most Disappointing Player of the Year.

Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez shares positive update on Instagram

Christian Gonzalez shares an update with Patriots fans

New England Patriots defensive back Christian Gonzalez had a successful surgery. He posted on his Instagram story, indicating that the surgery went well.

Gonzalez was injured on October 1 against the Dallas Cowboys. He hurt his shoulder and then went to injured reserve.

This was a big blow to the New England secondary, as Gonzalez had emerged into a true difference-maker in the defensive backfield. He tallied 14 tackles, three pass deflections and an interception in four games. By the end of September, he was awarded Defensive Rookie of the Month.

Gonzalez looks to be a key part of a New England defense that should be solid again next season.

New England may have some tough decisions to make in free agency, but Gonzalez should be a cornerstone for the defense for years to come.

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