Seattle Seahawks wideout Jake Bobo in all chance will not have New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez matched up on him on Sunday.
That is a perk of being the fourth receiver on Seattle’s depth chart as Gonzalez will most likely draw Seahawks star D.Ok. Metcalf or one other member of the workforce’s proficient positional group, which additionally options veteran Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Gonzalez’s consideration being diverted elsewhere is ok with Bobo. He bought his fill of the Patriots cornerback two years in the past once they went head-to-head in school.
Bobo, who spent 4 seasons at Duke earlier than ending his school profession at UCLA, turned in a robust efficiency with Gonzalez masking him because the 6-foot-4, 217-pound pass-catcher hauled in eight receptions for 101 yards and one landing. Gonzalez did make 5 tackles and picked up a game-high two move breakups. However Bobo remembers that sport extra for the 45-30 loss Oregon handed the Bruins — the Geese led 31-13 at halftime.
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That is not all that stands out from that contest for Bobo, both. He recalled Gonzalez’s distinctive expertise leaping off the web page again then, simply because it does now.
“The very first thing you see is simply his bodily instruments,” Bobo instructed NESN.com. “He is lengthy, tall clearly, has nice ball abilities. Once I matched up with him in particular person, he is sensible and his soccer IQ is actual, actual excessive. So, I needed to conceal some splits. And you could possibly simply inform if I break up outdoors the numbers he’d line up a sure manner, if I used to be slightly tighter he’d line up a sure manner relying on his protection and what they had been working.
“So, he is sensible and then you definately mix that along with his potential to play the ball and his bodily attributes, that makes for a helluva nook proper there.”
Gonzalez and Bobo took two fully completely different paths to the NFL. The Patriots used the No. 17 general choice within the 2023 draft to decide on what many consider would be the franchise’s subsequent shutdown nook. Bobo went the undrafted route earlier than signing with the Seahawks.
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Gonzalez flashed his potential final yr earlier than struggling a torn labrum within the fourth sport of the season that introduced his rookie marketing campaign to a untimely shut. However he shortly reminded everybody what he may do on a soccer discipline in New England’s season-opening win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Gonzalez held Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase in test to the tune of simply six catches for 62 yards.
Whereas there may not be a one-on-one matchup Sunday, Bobo, who shocked many and have become a Seattle fan favourite by recording 19 receptions for 196 yards and two touchdowns final season, and Gonzalez might be on the identical discipline once more, this time at Gillette Stadium.
Bobo is aware of Gonzalez could be a difference-maker within the Patriots secondary. Actually not a lot has modified since school.
“You knew going on this man’s the true deal and we will have to search out methods to work round him,” Bobo mentioned about dealing with Gonzalez in school. “I did not watch the sport on Sunday however I heard that it was loads of the identical.”
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