The Patriots traded down in the first round of this year’s draft, but that didn’t stop them from landing an immediate starter on their defense.
After the first three games of the season, it looks like the Patriots have landed a lot more than that. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez was named the league’s defensive rookie of the month on Thursday.
Gonzalez landed the prize after standout performances covering Tyreek Hill and Garrett Wilson the last two weeks. The star wideouts didn’t have their customary impact while playing against the rookie and Gonzalez also had an interception against the Dolphins in Week Two. That joined a sack in the season-opener against the Eagles as signs of the impact he’s having early in his career.
The Patriots will face the Cowboys this week, so Gonzalez will get a chance to continue to build his reputation against CeeDee Lamb.