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Oftentimes in sports, the best measure of success isn't from the media's perspective. Sure, there are certainly valid opinions from many in the media. But the real, most authentic measure of success comes from those working within the industry. For the NFL, that's team executives, coaches and scouts, who work directly with players in the league.
Those three groups of individuals were rounded up by ESPN to produce a top ten list of 11 positions in the NFL, and on Tuesday the ranking of the cornerbacks was released.
New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez is widely considered by the media to be one of the best cover men in the game, but his placement at No. 3 means much more than any of that. Just two cornerbacks were ahead of the former Oregon Ducks standout: Denver Broncos' Pat Surtain II and Houston Texans' Derek Stingley Jr. That's all that separates Gonzalez from the top of the NFL cornerback totem pole.
One offensive coach was complimentary of his game, showing the true impact that he had.
"He shut everything down when we played him," an NFL offensive coach told ESPN. "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."
Last year, Gonzalez was ranked as the sixth-best cornerback in the game. He vastly improved that ranking after a standout third year.
While the first two seasons of Gonzalez's career were impressive, it was the 2025 campaign that separated him from the pack. In 14 regular-season games, he finished with 69 tackles and 10 passes defensed. He was particularly dominant in the Patriots' run to the Super Bowl, as he allowed just 14 completions on 36 targets. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Gonzalez's mark of 38.8% completion percentage allowed was the lowest by any player that faced 25 or more targets in a single postseason since at least 2018, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
With a fourth season on the horizon, look for the former Duck to produce at an even higher clip as he enters into his prime years in the NFL.
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Former Duck Christian Gonzalez ranked No. 3 CB in NFL
Continue reading...
Those three groups of individuals were rounded up by ESPN to produce a top ten list of 11 positions in the NFL, and on Tuesday the ranking of the cornerbacks was released.
New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez is widely considered by the media to be one of the best cover men in the game, but his placement at No. 3 means much more than any of that. Just two cornerbacks were ahead of the former Oregon Ducks standout: Denver Broncos' Pat Surtain II and Houston Texans' Derek Stingley Jr. That's all that separates Gonzalez from the top of the NFL cornerback totem pole.
One offensive coach was complimentary of his game, showing the true impact that he had.
"He shut everything down when we played him," an NFL offensive coach told ESPN. "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."
Last year, Gonzalez was ranked as the sixth-best cornerback in the game. He vastly improved that ranking after a standout third year.
While the first two seasons of Gonzalez's career were impressive, it was the 2025 campaign that separated him from the pack. In 14 regular-season games, he finished with 69 tackles and 10 passes defensed. He was particularly dominant in the Patriots' run to the Super Bowl, as he allowed just 14 completions on 36 targets. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Gonzalez's mark of 38.8% completion percentage allowed was the lowest by any player that faced 25 or more targets in a single postseason since at least 2018, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
With a fourth season on the horizon, look for the former Duck to produce at an even higher clip as he enters into his prime years in the NFL.
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Former Duck Christian Gonzalez ranked No. 3 CB in NFL
Continue reading...
