Christian Gonzalez comes in at No. 84 in the NFL's Top 100 players for the 2025 season
First, it was seventh-round draft pick Tom Brady, who turned out to be a good quarterback. And while former Oregon Duck cornerback Christian Gonzalez can't be considered a steal as he was the 17th overall pick, there wasn't a lot of fanfare over the pick in the Boston area.
Perhaps there should have been.
In the NFL's list of Top 100 players that the league is publishing as the 2025 season approaches, Gonzalez comes in on that list at No. 84. After just two seasons as a Patriot, Gonzalez has quickly become one of the best defenders in the National Football League.
He played in just four games in 2023 due to a torn labrum, but Gonzalez made a splash in just that one month of action as he was the Rookie of the Month for September. Unfortunately, the Patriots would get to see just a sample of what he could do.
But in the next season, Gonzalez finished the year with 59 combined tackles (50 solo), 11 pass deflections, two interceptions, one fumble recovery, and a touchdown in 16 games and 16 starts.
Entering his third season here in 2025, Gonzalez and the Patriots as a team are looking to build upon what they started last season. Having Mike Vrabel, a defensive-minded head coach such as Oregon's Dan Lanning, should help Gonzalez tremendously and propel his career even further.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
NFL coordinator believes Commanders' Jayden Daniels can be a top 3 QB after next season
Who would you say are the top ten current NFL quarterbacks? In a survey conducted by ESPN, NFL executives, coaches, and scouts ranked the top ten in 11 different positions. Voters provided ESPN with their best 10 players at a position. ESPN then compiled the results and ranked candidates based on the number of top-10 votes. So, for the purpose of this story, our primary interest is the quarterback position and how those who voted ranked Commanders QB Jayden Daniels? Times are always changing, as Aaron Rodgers, for the first time since these rankings began in 2020, did not make the list. With Rodgers not making the list, Matthew Stafford becomes the only quarterback on the list over the age of 30. Jayden Daniels? Having played only one season in the NFL, he is the only rookie from the Class of 2024 to make the list. No doubt, Daniels being such a dual threat, having had such success both running and passing last season, resulted in Daniels being voted fifth on the list. Eagles fans will not be pleased that Daniels was voted higher than Hurts, but the prevailing thought will no doubt be that Daniels certainly did not have a Saquan Barkley in his backfield rushing for 2,000 yards. Hurts was voted No. 9, by the way. Here's the top 10 Quarterbacks: Check out this quote from one NFL defensive coordinator in the piece who game-planned against Daniels last season: The kid can read coverages, throw with accuracy and touch to all levels of the field, just as dangerous as Lamar and Josh Allen with his legs and has a clutch factor to him because his team already believes that if he has the ball with a chance to win, he's going to find a way. If he repeats anything close to his rookie year, he's no lower than No. 3 on this list next year. This coach is right. If Daniels repeats his 2024 season in a somewhat similar manner, there will be no debate about the top five anymore. It will be even higher.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Former Steelers WR dealing with injury, named to PUP list ahead of training camp
Former Steelers wide receiver Mike Williams has been named to the Chargers' PUP list — as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter. Minutes after breaking the the news on Williams' PUP designation, Schefter addressed what this undisclosed injury means in the long-run for the ex-Steeler, who signed with the Chargers this offseason: "A player can come off PUP at any point in training camp," Schefter wrote on X. "It's just a roster management tool at this time of year. As Jim Harbaugh would say, Mike Williams is working through something." Williams was traded from the Jets to the Steelers at the 2024 trade deadline — but played in just nine games for Pittsburgh, producing 132 receiving yards and one touchdown on nine catches. After returning this offseason to the team that selected him in the 2017 NFL Draft, Williams took a subtle jab at his time with the Steelers — alluding to last season as his "worst year" in the NFL. Williams isn't the only ex-Steeler who's made headlines for injury concerns — as Pittsburgh's former running back Najee Harris was recently involved in a fireworks-related incident in which he sustained a "superficial" eye injury. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
When ranking the 32 NFL quarterback/head coaching duos, it's the Chiefs, then ...
An easy choice. In seven seasons they have five conference titles, three championships, and two MVPs. It's criminal that Reid hasn't won NFL Coach of the Year in 12 seasons in Kansas City. 2. Ravens: Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh Advertisement Though yet to reach a Super Bowl, these are two of the best. Jackson is a two-time MVP who looks close to making a postseason breakthrough, and Harbaugh has 12 playoff appearances in 17 seasons plus Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 3. Rams: Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay They 4. Eagles: Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni Hurts isn't usually included in the conversation of top quarterbacks, and I'm not always the biggest fan of Sirianni's antics. You can't argue with two Super Bowl appearances, Advertisement 5. Lions: Jared Goff and Dan Campbell They have become folk heroes in Detroit, turning a laughingstock franchise into a powerhouse. Goff has led a top-five scoring offense three straight years, while Campbell has revolutionized the NFL (in a good way) with his aggressive fourth-down calls. 6. Bills: Josh Allen and Sean McDermott No problems with Both Bills coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane are signed through the 2027 season. Barry Chin/Globe Staff 7. Commanders: Jayden Daniels and Dan Quinn Quinn will always wear 8. Chargers: Justin Herbert and Jim Harbaugh Harbaugh is a proven winner wherever he goes. Herbert has all the tools, but is a little too inconsistent for someone who looks like he was built on an assembly line. 9. Broncos: Bo Nix and Sean Payton Payton is still one of the top offensive coaches in the NFL. Nix was his perfect protégé, throwing 29 touchdowns against 12 interceptions as a rookie. The Broncos went 10-7 and should make noise in 2025. 10. 49ers: Brock Purdy and Kyle Shanahan Purdy might be a system QB, and Shanahan Advertisement 11. Bengals: Joe Burrow and Zac Taylor They 12. Texans: C.J. Stroud and DeMeco Ryans Ryans is still a great culture setter, but Stroud took a step back in 2024. The Texans believe the issues were mostly related to the offensive line. 13. Buccaneers: Baker Mayfield and Todd Bowles Probably not a tandem that's going to win a Super Bowl, but Mayfield led a top-five scoring offense last year and Bowles has made the playoffs in all three of his seasons. 14. Vikings: J.J. McCarthy and Kevin O'Connell It's tough to rank them any higher given McCarthy is coming off a knee injury and has never played an NFL snap. Injuries kept Jordan Love from fully following up on his breakout 2023 season in 2024. Mike Roemer/Associated Press 15. Packers: Jordan Love and Matt LaFleur They haven't had a deep playoff run yet, but it feels like it's coming for a coach with a 67-33 record and a quarterback 2-for-2 in reaching the playoffs. 16. Cowboys: Dak Prescott and Brian Schottenheimer Schottenheimer has never been a head coach, and Prescott (one playoff win since 2018) can't stay healthy. But Schottenheimer has been Prescott's offensive coordinator the past two seasons, including in 2023, when they had the No. 1 scoring offense and Prescott was MVP runner-up. Advertisement 17. Steelers: Aaron Rodgers and Mike Tomlin Rodgers still has a smart football mind and a decent arm, but looked gun-shy in the pocket last year. Tomlin has made the playoffs in four of the past five years, but with no wins. This duo is destined for 9-8 and a quick exit. 18. Cardinals: Kyler Murray and Jonathan Gannon I like Gannon, the former Eagles defensive coordinator who had the Cardinals a respectable 8-9 last year. But fans have to be getting impatient waiting for Murray, with one playoff appearance and no wins in six seasons. It's already clear that new coach Mike Vrabel views the Patriots as Drake Maye's team. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff 19. Patriots: Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel Maye needs to cut down on his turnovers and learn how to play winning football. He's got great physical tools and feel for the game, and should take off in Year 2 with an experienced, accomplished coach. 20. Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa and Mike McDaniel They've been beating up on the Patriots, and put up some impressive stats in 2022-23. But Tagovailoa can't stay healthy, his physical tools are average, and McDaniel's teams are always soft in December and January. 21. Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence and Coen did a great job in Tampa last year, but has only had one year of success as a play-caller. And Lawrence, occasionally solid, is trending closer to a bust than a franchise QB. 22. Raiders: Geno Smith and Pete Carroll The Raiders missed out on the quarterback bonanza in the 2024 draft, and have cycled through several head coaches and QBs the last two years. They ended up in a decent place. Advertisement 23. Colts: Daniel Jones and Shane Steichen Jones hasn't beaten out Anthony Richardson yet, but don't be surprised if the Colts are pesky. Steichen is a solid offensive coach, and Jones still has intriguing tools. 24. Bears: Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson I'm skeptical of Williams being able to shake his bad habits, and of Johnson replicating the success he had in Detroit. But Williams definitely has talent, and Johnson scored a ton of points with Goff, whom the league didn't think much of. Can Ben Johnson make more magic with a Bears franchise whose quarterback play has been shoddy going back generations? Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press 25. Seahawks: Sam Darnold and Mike Macdonald Macdonald had a solid debut at 10-7, but there's no way Darnold is going to come close to replicating his 2024 season outdoors, without O'Connell or Justin Jefferson. 26. Panthers: Bryce Young and Dave Canales They showed signs of life with a 4-5 finish, and Canales has helped turn around Young and Mayfield in consecutive seasons. But Young still looks physically overmatched. 27. Falcons: Michael Penix and Raheem Morris The early reports on Penix are promising, but it's hard to know what to make of him after three starts. Morris has a 29-47 record as a head coach with the Bucs and Falcons, but hasn't had much to work with at QB, either. 28. Giants: Russell Wilson and Brian Daboll Daboll was a great play caller with the Bills, but is 18-32-1 as a head coach. Wilson is on his fourth team in five years and looks just about done. 29. Titans: Cam Ward and Brian Callahan This duo could shoot up the board quickly if Ward is as good as advertised, but Callahan looked in over his head in his first season and was lucky to keep his job after a 3-14 finish. Advertisement 30. Jets: Justin Fields and Aaron Glenn Fields is a dynamic athlete, but hasn't been able to figure out the passing side in four seasons. Glenn was great as the Lions' defensive coordinator, but coaching the Jets has swallowed up many a good man. 31. Browns: Joe Flacco and Kevin Stefanski Stefanski has twice won Coach of the Year. When your options at QB are Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders, there isn't much room for optimism. 32. Saints: Tyler Shough and Kellen Moore Moore, a first-time head coach, might be really good at his job. With a depth chart of second-round pick Shough, Spencer Rattler, and Jake Haener, the Saints need a miracle worker. Ben Volin can be reached at
