Can Christian Gonzalez Win Defensive Rookie of the Year?

Can Christian Gonzalez Win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2022?

The short answer is yes.

The long answer? Let’s dive into it:

New England selected rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez with the 17th overall pick in Thursday’s NFL Draft. Gonzalez is a 6’1″ boundary player who will likely step into the Patriots secondary as a starter on day one opposite one of either Jack Jones or Jonathan Jones.

Will this immediate playing time give him a chance to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award? It’s certainly possible. Here’s a look at the odds for the top five rookies to win the award according to FanDuel Sportsbook:

Odds to Win Defensive Rookie of the Year

Will Anderson                       +340

Jalen Carter                           +600

Tyree Wilson                          +750

Christian Gonzalez              +1100

Devon Witherspoon            +1100

Here’s a blurb on each of Gonzalez’s competitors in the top five:

---

Will Anderson (+340) was the third overall pick after Houston traded up with Arizona to select him. He was arguably the best player in the entire class and dominated the NCAA in 2021. En route to a National Championship game appearance, Anderson tallied 101 tackles, 3 pass deflections, and and NCAA-leading 17.5 sacks. He came back down to earth a bit in 2022, but remained a top-tier defender and was more than worthy of the third pick.

After a fall down the board due to non-football concerns, Georgia’s Jalen Carter (+600) became the 10th overall pick to the Super Bowl runner-up Eagles. Philly now has Carter, Nolan Smith, Kelee Ringo, Nakobe Dean, and Jordan Davis as former- Georgia Bulldog defenders.

Former Patriots staffers Dave Ziegler and Josh McDaniels also saw a top-tier defender fall to them in Vegas with Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson (+750). With the Texans’ brass keeping their plans under lock and key during most of the pre-draft process, many thought Wilson could end up in Houston at pick two. Instead, he enters a room with staunch pass rushers Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones to learn from.

The first defensive back to go off the board in Thursday’s first round was Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon (+1100). Witherspoon is shorter than Gonzalez at just 5’11” but is a more physical player. He tallied 42 tackles, 14 pass deflections, and, 3 interceptions in 2022. He’ll be an excellent pairing opposite 2022 Pro Bowler Tariq Woolen.

So how can Gonzalez beat out all of these other dominant defenders who were all selected ahead of him?

As mentioned above, what will work in his favor is if he’s thrown into the fire immediately. He’ll have his work cut out for him covering the likes of Stefon Diggs, Garrett Wilson, and either one of the dominant Miami receivers. And with Josh Allen, Aaron Rodgers, and Tua Tagovailoa throwing them the football, it will be no easy task.

That being said, Gonzalez has a quiet confidence about him similar to what we say from Stephon Gilmore during his time in New England. If he can lock it down against those guys like the Patriots expect them to, he’ll win the award with ease. So…

The Pick: Christian Gonzalez (+1100), obviously.