Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez

The War Room
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After spending time with the film (limited without All 22), I really like this kid. He is the kind of guy where the skillset and game tape speaks for itself. I have always said that if someone has to LEAD with a guys height/weight/40 time, it means he isnt a very good player. If this guy clocked in at 5’10" he would still have teams wanting him. In his case he is a super fluid 6’-2" athlete with ball awareness and the willingness to tackle.

My understanding is he won’t be playing tonight as he opted to skip the bowl game and go directly into his combine training.

Here are some “highlights.” But it shows alot of what you will see with the regular game film.

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He’s a guy that early on was easy to get with the Lions actual pick. The more people see him, the more he ends up going before our current #18 pick.

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Yeah I heard a lot about this guy but couldn’t find any fame film.

I finally saw the highlights and now I see what people were saying. He’s the guy I want. Plain and simple.

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Hopefully the Rams pick will allow us to take the top corner on our board, because between him, Cam Smith, and Joey Porter Jr. there are a lot of good options.

I’m really excited for the predraft discussions we’ll certainly have breaking down the different CB prospects. Should be fun.

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This…

Made Bruce Feldman’s Freak’s List - ranked #19. He wrote "Moss has vertical-jumped 42 inches and broad-jumped 10-8. We’re told he has clocked the fastest short shuttle time for DBs in Kirk Ferentz’s two decades-plus at Iowa, blazing through it in 3.85 seconds.

One day after being named preseason All-Americans by the Associated Press, Iowa football’s Jack Campbell and Riley Moss earned more All-American acclaim. Both were named to the USA Today Sports preseason team, Moss was on the first team at cornerback and Campbell was on the second team at linebacker.

Moss was last year’s Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year and could’ve been in line for more postseason awards had he not missed nearly four games to injury.

Among his many strengths, Moss is a ballhawk, and his zone coverage, closing speed, and tackling abilities are major plusses. He was rated as Pro Football Focus’ best coverage CB over the last two seasons.
6’1" and 193, first team all B1G 2021 and 2022.

Eh, yesterdays news, let’s jump on the shiny new guy who is climbing the polls. BTW, just how good WAS the Ducks secondary?

“The Ducks’ biggest issue this season was stopping the pass. The Ducks finished the regular season ranked 106th out of 131 teams in passing yards per game, with opponents averaging 260.6 yards. When it came down to it, teams began to target the weaker links that were playing opposite of Gonzalez in the secondary.”

Interesting, same thing that happened to Moss THIS season and yet…45 tackles, 30 solo, 2 FF, 1 int and 10 PD’s. Not bad for a guy they stayed away from. Gonzalez…51 tackles, 35 solo, no FF’s, 4 ints and 7 PD’s.

Amazing the love that Witherspoon and Porter are getting, Gonzalez and others, and Moss isn’t in the conversation. Same thing happened to all pro Desmond King from IOWA, he was a likely first round pick and stayed for his senior year and didn’t go until the 5th. " On November 29, 2016, King was name First-team All-Big Ten for the second season in a row.[15] He was also named a 2016 AP Second-team All-American" Sounds eerily familiar.

And is anyone watching the Oregon game? NC has 3 passing TD’s.

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Is Gonzalez better in man or zone?

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Gonzalez isn’t playing…. so I guess that Oregon giving up 3 TD passes proves how much they miss him?

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He’s fluid and sticky like Darius Slay in man and has the awareness and drive on the football that you want in zone.

Gonzalez hasn’t given up a single catch all game.

Arden Cho Lol GIF by Identity

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LOL, no being 106th out of 131 teams vs the pass already painted that picture. BTW, IOWA was 9th at 173.8 yards per game, .4 of a yard from being tied with Kentucky who was 7th at 173.4 yards per game.

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Here is the rest of that paragraph….

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Exactly, and that’s why I commented that they did the same thing to Moss this season and yet look at how their numbers compared. They moved off Gonzalez later in the season. Gonzalez had 4 int’s, 2 came from Colorado, the team he played for before he transferred to Oregon. Moss will be playing in his bowl game and the Senior bowl.

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Yes

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Is he the Gadner Minshew of CBs?

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Turned on the Bowl game to watch Drake Maye but man Nix looked like Brady the last two drives for Oregon

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Impressive lip sweater there….

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Forget the cover skills. Those are there. His head is mostly 95% turned.

I love how he seems to have multiple ways of tackling, makes a decision and plays it smartly. He will lunge at you, he will also come at you to wrap you up. Heck on one of those he recognized he was slightly out of the play and threw himself down and slid two yards on the ground just in time to have the WR trip over him. That’s crazy.

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He did because they finally opened the can of whoop ass by throwing down field. It was run, run, run and dink and dunk until they HAD to put up some points.

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Is it smart to compare the stats of CB’s defending Big Ten passing attacks vs. Pac 12 and holding the numbers so dear? Not slamming the table for either, but looking at stats like these in a vacuum may not tell THE tale. I mean I guess I could have my head in the past. I know OSU can throw the ball (put up 54 points and 4 passing TD’s against Iowa…), but is going against Rutgers, Illinois and Wisconsin like going against BYU, UCLA and Washington State if you are a CB? Would it be easier to get the jump on Big Ten QB’s or Pac 12 QB’s? It matters.

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Yep, that’s why there’s All American’s, where players are ranked nation wide. Moss was first team All American CBS 2021, What else, well…

“Moss (6-1, 193 pounds) was a first-team All-America selection by Sporting News a season ago and was voted the Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year.”

"He was selected to both the Athlon Sports and Phil Steele’s preseason All-America First Teams. He has been named to the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award watch list and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list. "

AP preseaon First Team 2022 and then…they quit throwing at him.

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I am really loving this CB draft class overall. PFF has 9 CBs listed in their top 40 draft players. 9!

  1. Cam Smith
  2. Kelee Ringo
  3. Brian Branch
  4. Jaylon Jones
  5. Christian Gonzalez
  6. Joey Porter Jr.
  7. Clark Phillips
  8. Garrett Williams
  9. Devon Witherspoon
    PFF CB Rankings 2023 NFL Draft

I believe two of these guy are likely to be Lions in 2023. To me grab Jalen carter or Bryan Bresee with the Rams pick, a CB with our 1sr rd. pick and then weigh options in rd. 2 which I think will lead to another CB and RB or LBer for sheer value with the Vikes pick. If we get a DT, 2 Cbs and a say LBer/RB or even G with that Vikes pick that would be amazing.

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