Patriots Star Notably Absent From Early Pro Bowl Voting Leaders

The New England Patriots in all likelihood once again won’t have much representation at the upcoming Pro Bowl.

Christian Gonzalez might have the best chance from the Patriots to earn the honor. But getting to the Pro Bowl is looking like a long shot for the second-year cornerback after the results of the first round of fan voting came out this week.

Gonzalez’s name surprisingly didn’t even appear among the top 10 vote-getters at the cornerback spot — Marlon Humphrey of the Baltimore Ravens, Pat Surtain II of the Denver Broncos and Donte Jackson of the Pittsburgh Steelers were the top three in the positional group. But the 22-year-old isn’t getting caught up in the lack of recognition.

“It is what it is. You know, the votes are gonna come,” Gonzalez told reporters Tuesday, per MassLive’s Karen Guregian. “I believe it’s just the first stretch of voting. I think there’s some more voting. If it comes, it comes. If it don’t, it don’t. I’m not too worried about it. We gotta win. That’s our main focus. That’s our main thing. Win and everything else will follow through.”

Gonzalez looked the part of a shutdown corner at times this season while going against elite competition. He leads the Patriots with two interceptions and his 55 tackles ranks third on the team. Gonzalez also has eight passes defended, which only trails Marcus Jones’ 10.

The Oregon product, who missed the majority of his rookie season due to a shoulder injury, regularly draws the opposition’s top wideout week after week. Gonzalez typically has held his own in those matchups, especially against Ja’Marr Chase and Tyreek Hill.

But Gonzalez’s Pro Football Focus grade doesn’t exactly help his Pro Bowl case. He ranks 24th among cornerbacks in total defense and 16th in coverage by PFF.

Gonzalez might have to wait a little bit longer — with his skill set it’s hard to imagine him never making it to the marquee exhibition contest — to get his Pro Bowl nod, but he’s fine with that.

“It’d be cool. It’d be the first one,” Gonzalez said. “If it ain’t this year, I’m gonna get it eventually. Whenever the time comes, I’ll be blessed and happy to be a part of it.”

The only Patriots player who appeared in the first go-around of Pro Bowl voting was Bryce Baringer. He ranked third among punters.