Patriots’ Christian Gonzalez Among Top Week 2 Rookie Performers

The New England Patriots have an emerging playmaker in the secondary in rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez.

The No. 17 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft held his own with an improved performance against another elite duo of receivers. Against Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle of the Miami Dolphins, the rookie tallied six tackles, a pass breakup and his first career interception for the Patriots in the 24-17 loss.

With his encouraging game, Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranked Gonzalez as the seventh-highest performing rookie in Week 2 with a PFF grade of 82.6 this season.

Here’s what PFF’s Mason Cameron wrote on the play of Gonzalez:

After a lackluster debut, Gonzalez catapulted up for this list for his outstanding performance during (Sunday) Night Football. The first rounder saw a massive 35.8-point jump in his coverage grading over the previous week, finishing Week 2 at 91.6, the highest mark of the week. He allowed just three receptions on five coverage targets despite being tasked with covering one of the best receiver tandems in the modern era.

While the Patriots are 0-2 to begin the season, Gonzalez is absolutely a bright spot and proving to be a rewarding pick for Bill Belichick and the New England organization.