Game Film Reveals the Truth About Christian Gonzalez

Oregon’s corner Christian Gonzalez has clean game film.

What does that mean?

In the six games evaluated, Gonzalez made it look easy.

He made it look easy in my last article, “Christian Gonzalez Shuts It Down.”

He’s as technically sound as they come. This guy would be a dream come true for Patriots’ Head Coach Bill Belichick.

All that kept going through my mind while watching him play is former NFL corner, Shawn Springs (Ohio State No. 3 overall 1997 NFL Draft).

Like Springs, Gonzalez isn’t a Deion Sanders type, but he gets the job done. Springs was in the NFL from 1997-2009, and during that time, he made a Pro Bowl, made Second-Team All-Pro in 2004 and finished his career with 33 interceptions and 70 passes defended.

Small throwing windows

This Oregon corner likes to come up in press-man coverage and crouch down. He’s a presence, no doubt, who moves with receivers like it’s a choreographed dance.

The thing that makes Gonzalez tough is he looks super smart on game film, with a good understanding of coverage concepts. He also does a great job of keeping an eye on the backfield, to see what the quarterback is up to.

Gonzalez is excellent at maintaining route leverage while staying in phase with receivers. He also showed that coveted short-area burst and ability to break on passes in this block of game film studied.

All of this makes it tough to complete passes on him.

Gonzalez is tough to shake.

Ball instincts

This is one of the things I like most about Gonzalez – – his ball instincts.

He showed the uncanny ability to turn and look for the ball just at the right moment, and there is no substitute for that.

Against UCLA he was carrying a vertical route and right when the receiver turned his head to look for the ball, guess who else did?

Gonzalez.

At times he was in such good position on the coverage, he looked more like the receiver than the actual wide receiver did. He played the ball better, and was in better position, which resulted in him either defending the pass or making a sensational interception like when he high-pointed the ball against Washington.

Tough cookie

Gonzalez brings a brand of physicality to the game as well.

He is not at all shy about slicing in to blow up a screen or coming in hot off the edge to put an end to a run before it gets started.

Another thing that stood out against UCLA and and Utah is he can handle covering tight-ends as well, when called upon.

Just ask Utah’s tight-end Dalton Kincaid if you don’t believe me – – Gonzalez impeded his route in the end zone and walked away from it without a flag.

NFL crystal ball

Gonzalez is a 10-year No. 1 corner in this league.

Draft him, and throw away the key.

He will be a dependable rock in the secondary who will make the job of NFL quarterbacks challenging. In these three games studied, they only completed one pass on him, and he was just as impressive in run support. The negative side of my notes was as clean as his game film was.

Gonzalez is like an assistant defensive backs coach on the football field.

#0 Christian Gonzalez 6-foot-2, 201 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Final 2023 NFL Draft Grade: First-Round (I would select him)

First Round Mock Big Board: TBD

Bust probability: Low

Projected by 69.8% (up from 18.9% on October 18) of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of February 23, 2022 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

2022 game film reviewed: UCLA, Utah, and Washington (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2021 stats: 53 tackles (42 solo, 11 assists), 5 passes defended, 0 INT

2022 stats: 51 tackles (35 solo, 16 assists), 7 passes defended, 4 INT

2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Smart technician with long arms, high-level athletic ability, short-area burst and good straight-line playing speed. Puts himself in excellent position. Knows how to work receivers without drawing flags. Smooth back peddle and fluid hips. Turns and runs with ease. Carries vertical routes and stays in phase with receivers effortlessly. Great anticipation. Good feel for the flow of the game. Excels in press and off-man coverage, as well as zone. More than willing to provide support. Gets involved against the run. Strong want.

Final words

The safest first-round pick I’ve seen in this draft class.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He currently writes for Sports Illustrated New York Jets and he is the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.