The New England Patriots traded down three spots and still came away with one of the best defensive players in the 2023 NFL draft in Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
It was a no-brainer selection for coach Bill Belichick with an opportunity to add a legitimate top-10 talent in this year’s rookie class at No. 17.
Gonzalez is a big, physical cornerback that can match up outside with the best receivers in the NFL. He finished his collegiate career with 50 tackles, four interceptions and seven pass deflections in 2022, when quarterbacks were rarely looking to throw in his direction.
Gonzalez has the ability to vault to the top of the depth chart for a Patriots team that desperately needed size. Jonathan Jones is as tough as they come in the defensive backfield, but he was undersized and struggled when matching up against elite receivers, such as his Week 12 meeting with Minnesota Vikings star wideout Justin Jefferson last season.
Not only is Gonzalez a great coverage corner, but he’s also a willing tackler with tremendous playmaking ability.
We could look back on this pick one day as the steal of the draft. Not only did the Patriots come away with a top talent, but they also gained another fourth-round pick in the process in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It was a perfect example of Belichick playing chess, while everyone else plays checkers.
