How Sauce Gardner gave Christian Gonzalez confidence

FOXBOROUGH – Sauce Gardner took the NFL by storm.

The Jets 2022 first-round pick made an immediate impact during his rookie season. The 6-foot-3 lockdown cornerback led the NFL in pass breakups (2) to go with two interceptions. The performance earned him NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, first-team All-Pro, and Pro Bowl honors.

While that was happening, Christian Gonzalez watched from afar. The cornerback was in the midst of his final year at Oregon where he found himself enamored in Gardner’s performance.

At the 2023 NFL Combine, Gonzalez said he was fueled by watching what Gardner did in New York.

“It’s all confidence playing this position,” Gonzalez said in March. “You’re on an island out there by yourself and you know, that’s what I live for–big matchups. Anytime I get to go against a great receiver week in, week out, that’s my favorite thing to do.

“Watching Sauce and those rookies, it’s great to go through that because they’re tall, long lanky corners and I’m just like them. The fact they can do it, I know I can go in there and do it as well.”

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Six months later, Gonzalez looks the part. The Patriots first-round pick has made an immediate impact in New England and heads into Week 3, against the New York Jets, trying to keep it up with Gardner on the other sideline.

Through two games, Gonzalez has played 100% of the team’s defensive snaps. Gonzalez notched his first NFL interception last week covering Tyreek Hill. The previous week, he came up with a big pass breakup on fourth down while covering DeVonta Smith. The rookie also covered A.J. Brown that game.

“I was able to go against their rookie (Gonzalez). He’s real good,” Hill said on the “It Needed To Be Said” podcast. “Very lengthy corner, had some real good technique and speed about him. So they’ve got some real good pieces over there in New England, man”

There are some physical parallels between Gardner and Gonzalez. The Jets cornerback stands 6-foot-2, and weighs 190 pounds with a 79-inch wingspan. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds. Gonzalez stands 6-foot-2, weighs 197 pounds, and has a 76-inch wingspan. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds.

Of course, Combine measurements don’t equate to being a shutdown cornerback. Last season, Gardner finished with a 90.0 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus. According to Pro Football Reference, Gardner allowed 53.5% of his targets to be caught, and opposing quarterbacks had a 62.7 rating when targeting him in coverage.

“He’s a great player,” Mac Jones said of Gardner. “Obviously had a great rookie year. He’s going to make a lot of progress. He looks great out there – him and DJ. Tough, tough group to go against.”

“Yeah, he’s a good player, really long, good ball skills,’ Bill Belichick added about Gardner. “You make a mistake around him, he’s going to turn it over. Defensive rookie of the year last year, with 20 pass breakups or whatever it was. He’s definitely a problem. He’s over 6-2, athletic kid with good ball skills. He’s a hard guy to throw on.”

This season, Gonzalez has an 81.3 coverage grade by Pro Football Focus. That’s sixth best in the NFL. He’s allowed 56% of his targets to be caught and opposing quarterbacks have a 50.3 passer rating when targeting him.

After the Patriots drafted him in April, Gonzalez said he enjoyed watching Gardner have success as a rookie.

“It means a lot to be able to watch somebody come in and just make an instant impact. I want to hopefully do the same thing,” Gonzalez said Thursday night. “I just want to come in and compete and learn. You can’t learn from anyone better (than Bill Belichick). I’m just excited for the opportunity to learn from the best.”

Through his first two games, Gonzalez has held up his end. On Sunday, we’ll see if that continues on the same field as the Jets’ cornerback he admires.