Even though he is not yet compensated like one — a topic that led to him skipping parts of the voluntary offseason program — Christian Gonzalez is among the best cornerbacks in the NFL. And don’t just take our word for it: the league itself also feels the same way.
A new ESPN survey of coaches, executives and scouts reflects that. The New England Patriots standout was voted the third-best CB in the game today by the more than 70 people who participated, finishing behind only Denver’s Patrick Surtain
and Houston’s Derek Stingley Jr.
Few cover corners look more graceful stride-for-stride with receivers than Gonzalez, who uses his 6-foot-1 frame and speed to his advantage.
“He shut everything down when we played him,” an NFL offensive coach said. “We couldn’t squeeze a drop. He was the main reason why. Size, ball skills, can play press or man, he’s got it all.”
The 17th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Gonzalez played on a high level pretty much from the get-go and continues to ascend. The 2025 season was his best to date, and the first-time Pro Bowler looked particularly good in the playoffs: playing a pivotal role in New England’s run to the Super Bowl, he allowed only 11 completions on 30 targets for 141 yards with one interception and six pass breakups.
League executives seeing him as one of the best corners in football is therefore no surprise, even though some believe his physicality is lacking.
One knock on Gonzalez: Some scouts and coaches believe he’s not physical enough.
“His game is a bit finesse at times,” an NFL personnel evaluator said. “But he’s got tons of traits — long, can run and cover. The idea of the position is to cover the other guy, and he can do that very well.”
For what it is worth, Gonzalez missed only one of his 89 tackle attempts all season and was lauded by Patriots coaches for his willingness to play the run.
Unsurprisingly, New England decided to exercise the fifth-year option in Gonzalez’s rookie deal earlier this offseason. The two sides keep working toward a long-term deal, however, even though no agreement has been reached so far.
