For the first time in over a decade, the New England Patriots played the 2022 season without a Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback on their roster.
After using their top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on Christian Gonzalez, they'll be expecting that to change in the very near future.
Gonzalez, widely viewed as a top-two corner and top-10 overall prospect in this year's draft class, fell to the Patriots at No. 17 on Thursday night. New England was able to land the talented Oregon product even after trading down three spots and picking up an extra fourth-round pick.
The Patriots were surprised Gonzalez slid as far as he did. So was the player, who spent the night patiently waiting backstage in the NFL draft green room. It was an uncharacteristic selection for New England, which had drafted just one previous first-round cornerback under Bill Belichick (Devin McCourty, 2010), but it could prove to be Day 1's biggest steal.
With few exceptions, a top-flight corner has been a staple of the Patriots' defense throughout Belichick's tenure. In the early years, it was Pro Football Hall of Famer Ty Law, who gave way to Asante Samuel. McCourty was a Pro Bowler as a rookie. After a couple of lean years at the position in the early 2010s, New England swung a 2013 trade for Aqib Talib, who was succeeded by Darrelle Revis, then Malcolm Butler, then Stephon Gilmore, then J.C. Jackson.
The Patriots opted for a different approach last season, fielding a star-less collection of corners (Jalen Mills, Jonathan Jones, Jack Jones, Marcus Jones, Myles Bryant) that performed above expectations but struggled against elite opposing wideouts. As a first-round pick, Gonzalez will be expected to quickly develop into the true No. 1 that group lacked.
He's ready for that challenge.
"Definitely, I know about it, and I'm excited to just get in there and play," Gonzalez said in his introductory Zoom call when asked about the Patriots' long history of premier corners. "Just having great cornerbacks come out of that system. I definitely watched Stephon Gilmore. He's a great player. I want to follow in the footsteps of it."
At 6-foot-1, 197 pounds, Gonzalez will bring some much-needed height and length to a position group that mainly relied or shorter, slighter players in 2022 (Mills was the Patriots' only 6-foot corner, and he missed the last six games and reportedly is moving to safety). With 30 collegiate starts across stints at Colorado and Oregon, Gonzalez is an experienced player despite still being two months away from his 21st birthday. He defended 11 passes and intercepted four last season, showing improved ball skills and tackling, and boasts an elite athletic profile that has garnered comparisons to All-Pro Jalen Ramsey.
Gonzalez described himself as "somebody that's versatile, fast, long, tall, that can move around."
"Somebody that loves to learn," he added, "and just wants to learn all the nuances of the defense and how they all build together."
The Patriots liked that Gonzalez played under a defensive coordinator in Oregon's Tosh Lupoi who previously worked for multiple NFL teams and was a DC at Alabama. They also received a positive review from new offensive line coach Adrian Klemm, who was on the Ducks' staff last season.
"Hopefully that experience, that knowledge, that education, will only speed his development here to the NFL," Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh said Thursday night. "But for all these guys, it's a big jump. It'll just be upon Christian to get up to speed as quickly as possible. Looking forward to working with him and helping him do that."
It's unclear exactly how the Patriots plan to use Gonzalez, who profiles as a rangy outside cornerback but has slot experience, as well. Regardless, he should provide a major boost to New England's secondary against the parade of dangerous wideouts it'll face this season. The AFC East alone features the likes of Buffalo's Stefon Diggs, Miami's Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson of the New York Jets.
"I've definitely put some thought into it," Gonzalez said. "I'm excited for that competition."
