Returning Patriots starter projected to be among NFL's best rebound stars

When the Patriots lucked out in the 2023 NFL Draft from Christian Gonzalez falling into their lap at pick No. 17, it was clear they struck gold for their defense. The Oregon alum was projected to be the first cornerback off the board, only to remain available even after New England traded down three spots.

Gonzalez made a name for himself almost immediately on the practice field and made the transition to the NFL look easy. That continued once the regular season began, as he recorded seven combined tackles, a tackle for a loss, a quarterback hit, a sack and a defended pass in the first game of the year.

Over the next three games, he built upon that impressive performance. He was well on his way to becoming the frontrunner for Defensive Rookie of the Year, which had only been won by one other Patriot in the award's existence: Jerod Mayo in 2008.

Then the unimaginable happened.

In Week 4 against the Cowboys, Gonzalez suffered an injury that ended his rookie year prematurely. It was a massive loss to the Patriots' defense, even more so when it was coupled with Matthew Judon's season-ending injury from the same game.

The good news is that he is nearly back to 100% health in the offseason and is ready to return to the field at training camp. It's an exciting return for the team and the league, as CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso names Gonzalez one of the best young players to rebound from injury in 2024.

Returning Patriots starter projected to be among best rebound stars in 2024

There were a number of injuries sustained by top-name players throughout last year, so seeing Gonzalez projected to be one of the best to rebound in his return is an exciting element among the many changes the Patriots have made this offseason.

Trapasso believes his skill set and athleticism will make him an elite cornerback during his career. Because he suffered the injury early in the season, he expects Gonzalez to pick up where he left off as soon as he gets back on the field.

"The man-coverage specialist had three pass breakups, an interception, didn't allow a touchdown in his coverage area, and missed just one tackle on 209 total snaps. A freak athletically with super-smooth hips and brilliant route-recognition skill, Gonzalez was born to play in New England's defense (yes, even after the Bill Belichick era).

At nearly 6-foot-2 and a few pounds under 200 with threshold-meeting 32-inch arms, Gonzalez ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash with a 41.5-inch vertical and a broad jump in the 95th percentile at the position. He has the athletic makeup of a premier perimeter cornerback. With plenty of time to rehab the injury, I fully expect Gonzalez to insert himself into the conversation as one of the league's best, young, sticky coverage defenders in 2024."

Based on what we saw from him through just three and a half games as a rookie, it's fair to assume that Gonzalez will be just as good, if not better, this year. He has all the makings of a lockdown corner who can become the leader of the Patriots secondary, making his return even more intriguing to watch at training camp.

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