The New England Patriots have selected Dallas-area star Christian Gonzalez with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Oregon cornerback fell out of the top 10 despite being projected to be a high draft pick in the first round. However, that drop could be a blessing in disguise as Gonzalez will go and play for legendary head coach Bill Belichick.
Cornerback was a huge need for the Patriots defense. New England has lost several defensive backs in recent years, including Stephon Gilmore and J.C. Jackson.
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Gonzalez, who graduated from The Colony High School, recorded 35 solo tackles with four interceptions and seven passes defensed in 12 games for the Ducks last season.
Before playing at Oregon, he played two seasons for Colorado where he started as a freshman.
The 6′ 2″ Gonzalez is the son of an athlete. His father, Hector, played basketball for the University of Texas at El Paso and went on to play semiprofessionally in Colombia
