Christian Gonzalez, NFL Draft Defensive Back Prospect

Back here in Kansas City, Zach Gelb Show Coast to Coast on CBS Sports Radio, getting ready for the big night tomorrow night, the NFL Draft. And now joining us could be the first corner off the board from the Oregon Ducks. And he's here in the P&G style lounge on behalf of Head and Shoulders.

And that, of course, is Christian Gonzalez. Christian, how are you? I'm doing great.

How are you? I'm excited. Yeah, right.

I know there's so many rumors and you can't keep track of everything, but I'm sure there's some things you hear and then some things you don't. 24 hours away. Just how are you processing this and what's going through your mind? I'm just trying to enjoy it.

So every moment in, you know, I'm never going to get this back. So really just enjoying it with my family because it's been big for them and big for me. So being able to come here together has been fun. Throughout this journey, a lot of kids, they grow up and they go, I want to be a professional athlete. When did you realize that that could actually be a realistic goal? Probably when I was, got my first offer and then going in and after my freshman year, once I started my freshman year and was playing, making plays, I was like, okay, this is, it's real.

I can really do it. You started your career at Colorado in college and you wrapped up at Oregon. Take me through that decision-making process, moving on from Colorado and continuing your college journey with the Ducks. Yeah, it was committed to Colorado.

It was committed to Colorado out of high school. I wanted to play with Mel Tucker, but he left before I got there. But by that time I was over the recruiting process and the coach out, Demetrius Martin, who was my position coach all three years, I already had a relationship with him. He was at Colorado, so I stayed with him, played two years there, had a great time, a great university, extremely glad I went there. And then he ended up going to Oregon. So, you know, he told me he would get me in and out in three years and that's what I wanted to play with. And we had just had a great relationship. He's coming up here tomorrow.

He gets here tomorrow morning. But yeah, it was just wanted to go follow him, play with him for my last year and it worked out great. When you get told something like, okay, you're going to go to this place for three years, you get to leave early, you get to go to the NFL and you'll be able to accomplish what you set out to do now knowing that's what happened. How do you kind of look back on that journey and what did that journey teach you? It taught me a lot.

Just stay down, stay true to yourself and just trust in God because he's going to get you where you need to be. It's so difficult when you look at people that transfer and then you have coaches that come on in and new coaches as well. And with Dan Lanning, no one really knew what to expect this past year at Oregon. What did you really learn from Dan Lanning and what does he like as a football coach?

Because people were impressed with what the Ducks did this year. Oh yeah, I love Coach Lanning. He brought us all in, him being a new coach, me being a transfer in. There were a lot of new players too as well and he made everything really about connection.

As soon as we got there, we connected every day. We had get reels. The whole team would come together and we would talk about everything but football. Just relating to each other, learning everybody's why because once you know that, it's just easier to play for your brother next to you. He taught me so much about football. Great coach, defensive guy, so I love playing under a defensive head coach.

He was just a great person and relatable, young, brings energy. So it was great playing with him. When you transfer from one Pac-12 school to another, there's so much crossover.

You went up against your old school this year, had a good game, had the interception. What were those emotions like going up against guys that you knew in that locker room at Colorado when you had a different uniform on? It was crazy. That was a crazy day.

Going in, driving in. When we flew there, it was kind of like because we stayed in Denver, we actually didn't stay in Boulder. But once we were driving to the game the next day, it was crazy just because we took the same exact route. I went to Colorado, but now I was on the visiting team. I was on the visitor sideline. I treated it like a normal game, but it was really fun to get out there.

It's always fun to compete, and then to compete against your friends is even more fun. So glad I got to do that. Saw everybody after the game, took pictures, laughed, talked. But it was a real fun moment. When you look on the field, what was your favorite memory, whether it was at Colorado or Oregon, when you look back at your career, Christian Gonzalez? I would say this year when we beat Oregon, or not when we beat Oregon, we would beat Utah at Oregon in Austin because I was 0-2 against Utah. Then Oregon lost to them twice the year before.

So it kind of turned into a big rivalry. Everybody was just ready to get to that game and win. That was also a game Bo was hurt.

We didn't really know if he was playing or not. He came out and the stadium just went crazy. He came out and fought through that game. Offense played a great game. Defense played a great game, and we ended up beating him. My whole family was there.

My aunt was there as well. So just seeing them and meeting with them after the game and getting that over with, not over with, but getting them, being able to beat them in front of a sold-out crowd was real fun. There's so many ups and downs when you choose to be an athlete, and there's some good times and there's some bad times. Bo Nix, he was a rock star early on at Auburn, and then his stock kind of fell. Going into this year, he exceeded all my expectations and a lot of people's expectations. What did Bo Nix show you this past year being a teammate of his? He's, first of all, a great teammate, a great person, a great leader, but also just how competitive he is. Just pushing everybody and leading the team. Everybody bought in to just listening to him, and we knew he was a great player, and I was super excited for him to be able to come out and show what he does, because I believe he's always been a great player. Now he just had the weapons to show what he does, and I'm excited to watch him this year, see what he does and how it plays out, and it was just great playing with him.

He's one of my best friends at Oregon, so I'm real happy for him. Christian Gonzalez, you're projected to be a top 10 pick in this draft tomorrow night. I'm a GM, let's just say. I say, why should I select Christian Gonzalez?

What's the answer? I'm a versatile corner, especially at my size, being able to play nickel, to play the whole defense in a whole different position. And then just add that with my size, speed, length. I feel like that's what separates me, is there's not a lot of corners my size and length that can move in the inside and guard the inside and play the slot cornerback. How do you process it when you hear these mock drafts and people go, the first corner in the draft may be Christian Gonzalez? It's crazy. But I try not to pay attention to it as much, but obviously you're going to hear it. I'm just kind of just keeping my head down. I just kept my head down. The buzz started to pick up at Oregon about week two, week three, so now I just have to keep my head down and keep working because it's kind of out of my control.

So just keeping my head down, working, grinding, and see what happens tomorrow. When you first went to Colorado, if I would have told you, you would have been a top 10 pick and potentially the first corner off the board. What would you have said to me a few years ago?

I said, I believe you. That's just been my goal my whole life. I always worked for it, but it was just crazy surreal that that happens. Is there a play or two that you look at in the NFL right now that go, I can't wait to just battle up against receiver X, receiver Y, receiver Z, whoever it may be? It's really all the receivers, the whole NFL. I love to compete and now I'm going to compete with the best of the best on the biggest stage. All the vets, all the rookies, just excited to get in and go against all the great receivers. Just going against them, other receivers, great receivers is going to teach me more about my game, so I'm excited for it.

It's kind of crazy. Last few years we've seen Patrick Sertan Jr. come into the league, take the league by storm. Last year, Sauce Gardner was one of the better defensive players in the NFL and one defensive rookie of the year. What do you think your impact can be right away? Can you have a similar impact like those two guys had?

I believe I can and that's what I'm hoping to do. Just come in and they kind of paved the way the past two years. They came in, like you said, took the league by storm. I modeled my game after Pat Sertan and that's kind of just what I want to do and come in and leave my legacy. Who were some of your favorite players growing up? I actually grew up playing offense, so I really didn't play corner until my junior year of high school. Growing up, I was just watching all types of receivers, offensive highlights. It was kind of O'Dell, those type of receivers. You catch a ball, right?

Oh yeah. So, we could potentially maybe see you both sides of the ball. Could that be in play at all? A few spot plays as a wide receiver, a little trick package?

I don't know. It's been a minute since I actually played receiver for real since high school, but no, I don't think that would happen. Since you started your career at Colorado, Christian Gonzalez, now all the talk about Colorado is prime time. The legendary Deion Sanders beating their head football coach.

I don't know how many friends you still have that are currently there. I know there's been a lot of transferring going on at Colorado. What's kind of your view of prime time taking the head football job, coaching job at Colorado? Yeah, I mean, he came in and gave them the energy that they needed, so that was good for them. They needed that. I was happy to see my friends, you know, be happy about getting in there, doing work, and yeah, there's been a lot of transfers, but I mean, you know, it's a great university. I hope he can bring them back and just start winning again.

Before we let you run, Christian Gonzalez, we'll talk about head and shoulders in the P&G style lounge in just a second. You look at Utah, you mentioned them. Dalton Kincaid is mocked to go in the first round. Some say he's the best tight end in this draft class.

Just what's your view of Dalton Kincaid? Oh, great, great player. You know, we game plan for him. It was a big, big part of our game plan. You know, he's just a dynamic athlete, being that size.

They gave him the ball every type of way, a jet sweep to him, put him, flex him out wide, leave him in the slot. You know, he's a great player, a great person too, but he's, yeah, I'm ready to see what he does in the league as well. The talk right now, it's like a fight.

It's Christian Gonzalez going up against Devin Witherspoon. Do you have a relationship with Devin at all? I do. Spoon is my guy. We have the same agent. We work out together. You know, we were just together like an hour ago on the phone.

He came up to my room yesterday in the hotel, just chomping it up, but that's my guy. So, you know, there's never no bad blood. You know, we always want each other to succeed and do the best.

Do you have any idea? Because some guys have a sense where they're going, some guys don't. Right now, as we sit here about 24 hours away from the draft, do you have a feel of where you're going to go? Honestly, no. Yeah, I mean, I talk to all teams and then I get the questions of who you think likes you more. It's kind of just felt the same at every team I've talked to.

So, we're going to see what happens tomorrow night. Tell me what you're doing with Head & Shoulders and also here in the P&G Style Lounge. Yeah, here at the P&G Style Lounge, you know, I just want to work with Head & Shoulders. I just want to be able to work with Head & Shoulders.

Wash my hair every day and after practice, you know, I make sure to take advantage of every wash and keep it clean. Now, you don't know where you're going, like you just said, but when that call happens tomorrow night and you'll be in the green room and it's like, okay, Christian Gonzalez is going here. What do you think is going to be going through your mind when you finally get that call you've been waiting for? Probably a breath, a deep breath.

All the visits, all the combine, mock or not mocks, pro day, all that. Past three months, you know, it's been crazy. Probably some emotions. Being there with my family. Have some sunglasses on in case my allergies hit.

But I'm excited, yeah. You get a chest bump the commissioner, you get to give him a big hug, just a handshake. What's that going to be like on the walk?

I don't know. I'm not the super outgoing type of guy, so my answer right now, what I'm telling you is I'm going to shake his hand, but I don't know what's going to happen when I get up there. Probably just shake his hand. I would go chest bump, honestly. I'm not that type of guy.

I'm not the outgoing type of guy, so I don't know. Well, Christian Gonzalez, good luck. We appreciate the time. Thanks so much for doing this. Yeah, thank you for having me.