ESPN draft expert reveals NFL comparison for Christian Gonzalez

With a number of cornerbacks likely to go in the first round and earning first round grades, it’s a bit of a “Choose your own adventure” for teams in need of some secondary help. For those preferring a big corner with special athletic traits, ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller has the guy for you in Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez.

Miller compared Gonzalez to an NFL corner with a long track record of ball production with a big frame: Byron Jones. The rangy Miami Dolphins corner didn’t play in 2022 due to injury but, in 2018, he was a second-team All-Pro playing for the Dallas Cowboys. Miller sees a lot of similarities in Gonzalez.

“A transfer from Colorado, Gonzalez found his footing at Oregon under first-year coach Dan Lanning, who was the architect of the 2021 Georgia defense. Gonzalez has great size at 6-2 and 200 pounds, and his speed and leaping ability are elite traits. He had a breakout season in 2022 with four interceptions and seven pass breakups,” Miller said.

Prior to his breakout season at Oregon in 2022, Gonzalez hadn’t recorded an interception in college, though had come up with five passes defended in each of his first two seasons.

But once he got to Oregon, it clicked for him in ways it hadn’t prior and Gonzalez ticked up the ball production, hawking four interceptions and seven breakups. Gonzalez might have a few holes as a run defender, but there aren’t many players in the 2023 NFL Draft who will have the combination of size and athletic traits that he possesses.

Miller shares draft comparison for Joey Porter Jr.

Joey Porter Jr. has been one of the most coveted prospects ahead of this year’s NFL Draft. The 22-year-old cornerback out of Penn State and son of All-Pro linebacker Joey Porter has been long evaluated as a first-round talent. Now, ahead of this spring’s draft, the latest assessment of him and comparison to him has been released.

Miller said Porter Jr. has all the intangibles to be a successful defensive back in the league. Miller then doubled down on that by comparing him to three-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro corner Marlon Humphrey.

“Porter has standout instincts and physicality,” wrote Miller. “The 6-2, 200-pound junior broke up 11 passes on limited targets in 2022, as opposing offenses stayed away from him. Porter has the length, toughness, speed, and timing to be a top-tier NFL cornerback.”

In his fourth and final season in University Park, Porter Jr. posted 27 tackles and eight pass deflections. That brought his career totals as a Nittany Lion up to 115 tackles, 17 pass deflections, and a sack, forced, fumble, and interception apiece. He was a massive key in that time to Penn State’s defensive success, specifically in 2022 when they were a Top-10 unit that allowed just a 52% completion rate on passes.

There’s no questioning how high Porter Jr.’s draft stock will be, come April 27th in Kansas City. The only question is who is going to bring him in as a talent with a pro pedigree and will get to develop him at this next stop in his career?