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New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez has received high praise throughout the offseason.
He was given an honorable mention in ESPN’s top-10 cornerbacks list ahead of the 2024 season, and on Tuesday, Jonathan Jones compared him to former All-Pro corner Stephon Gilmore.
This is certainly high praise, given that Gilmore was named the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year during his time with New England. He also made the Pro Bowl three times while with the Patriots organization.
Gilmore was a linchpin of the defense, and the Patriots hope Gonzalez can be the same for them in the future. According to Jones, Gonzalez’s quiet demeanor and high level of play on the field is reminiscent of Gilmore.
Jonathan Jones: The way Christian Gonzalez doesn’t say much, but competes at a high level on the field, reminds me of Stephon Gilmore. pic.twitter.com/tVMvqxy0go
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) July 23, 2024
Gonzalez will be looking to bounce back after going down with a season-ending injury last year.
His development will be worth monitoring throughout training camp and the regular season. This could be the year he breaks out and truly establishes himself as one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL.