Patriots select Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez with No. 17 pick in 2023 NFL Draft
The Patriots picked a cornerback.
The Patriots needed a bigger cornerback to help bolster their secondary.
They were able to add one after trading the No. 14 overall pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Patriots selected Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez with the No. 17 pick. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound All-Pac 12 selection intercepted four passes last season.
Some analysts, such as Dane Brugler of The Athletic considered Gonzalez a top-five prospect in this draft. ESPN’s Jordan Reid had him as the top-ranked cornerback on his board.
Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes was taken by Washington one pick before the Patriots took Gonzalez.
With Jalen Mills moving to safety in the aftermath of Devin McCourty’s retirement, the Patriots’ top remaining corners were all 5-foot-11 and shorter. Gonzalez will immediately add much needed size for matchups with bigger receivers.
In exchange for the No. 14 pick, New England received the No. 17 overall pick, and a 2023 fourth round pick.
The Steelers selected Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones at No. 14.
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