Patriots use 1st-round pick on CB Christian Gonzalez

The New England Patriots selected Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 17th overall.

Gonzalez - theScore's top-ranked corner this year - was considered a potential top-10 pick heading into the draft but instead became the third cornerback off the board. The Seattle Seahawks drafted Devon Witherspoon at No. 5, while the Washington Commanders used the 16th overall selection on Emmanuel Forbes.

The Patriots began the first round at No. 14 but moved down after a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers. New England also received the 120th pick as part of the deal.

Gonzalez began his college career at Colorado and transferred to Oregon in 2022. He set career highs with seven pass breakups and four interceptions with the Ducks last season.

The 20-year-old is the first Oregon defensive back taken in the opening round since 1996. The Patriots' cornerback depth chart features Jonathan Jones and Jack Jones, among others.

Pre-draft profile

Gonzalez is one of the easiest movers you'll ever find on a football field, regardless of position. He uses his 4.38 speed to glide, consistently sticking with receivers with ease in both man and zone coverage. The former Duck uses patient hands and feet in press to avoid being beaten off the line and then quick hips to turn with receivers on a dime. While he can cover any target on offense, he'll be most effective against bigger receivers thanks to his size and athleticism combination, sticking in their hip pocket from the first step of the play to the end. Gonzalez is quite capable of breaking up balls thrown in his direction, but he could bring his game to another level if he became a more aggressive ball hawk and downfield tackler. When he does get his hands on the ball, he's a threat to take it to the house, as evidenced by his 29.5-yard interception return average in 2022.