It can seem puzzling, standing in the semi-circle media scrum when former Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez has the floor. The outward aggression he showcases to overwhelm opponents on the football field just doesn’t match the persona he puts forth to the public.
It’s not that he detests public speaking, he’s just as laid back as they come. In fact, the whole Gonzalez crew is. Maybe not to the extent of Christian.
His older sister Samantha is the most “passionate” of the group, as their mom Temple described it. The youngest, Lily, is more outwardly spoken, as well. And the oldest, Melissa, is a lot like Christian.
“Nothing really rattles [Christian],” Samantha said. “We would always joke that nothing would embarrass him.”
As a man of few words, one might describe Christian as quiet. Samantha sees it as his maturity is beyond his years.
But they’ve surely seen the other side come out.
“I think when he’s playing football, he doesn’t look like a reserved, quiet kid,” Melissa said. “He’s aggressive. He’s leading his team. I think that’s when I see him really step into his personality. He knows when he needs to speak up, and it’s on the football field.”
They’ve also been the ones to extract that competitive side out of him.
Growing up with three sisters, two of whom have pursued successful track careers, and one who aspires for her own, there was a constant argument over who was the fastest of the four.
Their father Hector rarely diffused the situation. A former college basketball player, he would enter his name into their dispute from time to time. But when each member was asked to recall a race from their childhood, one answer remained constant.
It was the first time Christian beat his sisters –– the last time they even had a chance.
“It was a crazy moment when our brother first beat us,” Samantha said. “For quite a while, my sister (Melissa) and I could still beat him, but toward when he was starting high school, that was when he really started gaining on us and starting to beat us and that was quite an experience.
Melissa added: “At that point, we were like, ‘Okay, he’s not our little, tiny brother anymore.’”
Melissa claims they haven’t raced much since but Temple remembered one instant.
It was before each of the Gonzalez kids had become professional athletes — when they still lived at home and Christian was in high school. The family would go on long hikes and grab brunch.
One day on the way to the trail, the trash talk — with Hector egging them on — got heated to the point where he pulled over at a park and made them all get out.
“Let’s race right now,” Temple recalls her husband saying. “Christian won if I remember right.”
That sibling rivalry never turned malicious. Instead, the Gonzalez’s use what they learn from athletics and impart that knowledge onto one another. It’s been especially relevant to Christian throughout the last few months as he’s prepared for the NFL Draft.
It’s a process that included the NFL Combine and Pro Day at the University of Oregon — events meant to validate what he showed throughout the season, and what appears to scouts on tape. His physical tools and on-field abilities were tested and measured through a slew of challenges such as the 40-yard dash and individualized positional drills.
In no way do they mimic the mid-season practices that Christian experienced at Oregon.
“It’s a different type of training,” Christian said. “You’re going to train like a track athlete.”
Lucky for him, he had some experience, and some quality teachers. At the combine, he ran a blazing 4.38-second 40-yard dash, good for No. 6 at cornerback. And here’s the catch: both Melissa and Samantha think there’s vast room for improvement in his speed.
If history has any say, there’s a good chance he shaves off a few seconds. Christian’s been steadily improving since he was left off the Varsity football team in high school. His ability was weighed down during his sophomore season at Colorado as the Buffaloes ranked No. 11 in pass defense in the Pac-12.
He knew he had to gain more exposure to boost his name for the NFL draft, so he sought out Oregon and transferred there before the 2022 season.
“I saw an opportunity and I took it and ran with it,” Christian said about his move to the Ducks, on Aug. 3, 2022. “[Oregon] is a brand that’s known worldwide.”
At Oregon, he played most snaps as a shadow cornerback, completely cutting the water off one side of the field, each game. He racked up four interceptions, seven pass-break-ups and was tied for second on the team with 35 solo tackles.
His speed and that physicality to wrap up a ball carrier helped vault him into being a potential top-10 draft prospect.
But even as his stats improved, and he moved to a school with a nationally-publicized footprint, Christian remained the same humble, reserved kid he’s always been. It’s exactly what NFL teams will get when one calls his name on April 27 during the first round of the draft.
Except when he’s leading them on the field — or competing with his siblings — that is.
