Patriots draft potential steal in secondary after trading back

The New England Patriots didn't miss out on a promising talent after trading back in the 2023 NFL Draft. 

With the 17th pick, New England selected Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez. The organization entered the night holding the 14th overall pick but shipped it to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for picks 17 and 120. 

Despite being the No. 8 overall prospect in ESPN's consensus rankings, Gonzalez surprisingly slipped on Thursday and was ultimately the third cornerback taken off the board. His selection came one pick after Washington drafted Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes.

The 20-year-old Gonzalez played two seasons at Colorado before transferring to Oregon in January 2022. A first-team All-Conference selection for the fall campaign, he ranked third in the Pac-12 in interceptions (four) and was tied for ninth in passes defended (seven). The versatile defensive back now joins a secondary that includes fellow young cornerback talents Marcus Jones and Jack Jones. 

ESPN's player projection draft model, which uses position-specific analytic models based on scouting grades and combine metrics, has high expectations for Gonzalez. According to the system, he has the highest probability of any cornerback prospect in this year's class of earning a Pro Bowl during his career (48.5%).

Speaking with NFL Network’s Melissa Stark, Gonzalez expressed his enthusiasm about playing for Patriots HC Bill Belichick and seemed eager to make the most of his inaugural pro chance. 

“It means everything. I'm super excited for this opportunity,” said Gonzalez. “I can’t wait to get out there and just go to work.”

Gonzalez, who is of Colombian descent, also revealed the significance behind his yellow, blue and red draft day suit, which featured his native flag's colors.

“It’s Colombian. It just means everything,” Gonzalez said. “I put it on for everyone back in Colombia. I love that they’re able to look up to me.”