Drake Maye now has a season of NFL experience under his belt, which usually means a boost in confidence heading into Year 2.

Christian Gonzalez doesn’t see that from the Patriots quarterback – because Maye was self-assured from the moment he walked in the door as a rookie.

“He’s always had that swag to him,” Gonzalez said in an exclusive interview on Saturday from ex-teammate Mack Wilson’s celebrity basketball game in Tempe, Arizona. “That’s something that sets him apart. He’s had that swag to him since Day 1. I guess you could say he’s leading more, but he was already doing that last year.”

Gonzalez reached stardom himself in his second season and believes Maye will likewise show major progress in 2025.

“We know he’s going to make big strides,” Gonzalez said. “We’re excited.”

Maye has a new weapon on the outside in Stefon Diggs, whom Gonzalez will get plenty of reps against in practice.

Gonzalez said he is “definitely” excited about the matchup.

“You never want to turn down competition,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez Lends Advice To Will Johnson

Gonzalez is one of the best young cornerbacks in the NFL, proving that his 2023 draft-day drop to No. 17 overall was misguided.

Arizona Cardinals rookie cornerback Will Johnson suffered the same fate last month, falling all the way to No. 47 overall after being widely forecast as a first-round pick.

Gonzalez lent some advice to Johnson on how to best handle the experience.

“It doesn’t matter where the pick is,” Gonzalez said “All you’ve got to do is have your foot in the door. Once the draft is over, it gets to real football, and now he can go (prove himself.)”

When Gonzalez was asked how much motivation he took from his draft fall, the third-year star paused for a moment to consider his response and then shared a message of confidence.

“I mean, I know what kind of player I am,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez and Patriots teammate Keion White played on Wilson’s winning team in the celebrity basketball game, which also featured Terrell Owens and a host of Cardinals stars.

Both Gonzalez and White showed their athleticism on the court – White threw down a pair of rim-rattling dunks – and Gonzalez chose Marvin Harrison Jr. as the player who impressed him the most.

“I didn’t know Marv could hoop like that,” Gonzalez said. “It was fun being out there.”