The jury remains out on Christian Gonzalez until he steps on an NFL field, but the early consensus is that the New England Patriots found a stud in Round 1.
The Patriots traded down from No. 14 to No. 17 in the 2023 NFL Draft and still managed to land the Oregon cornerback, who was viewed by many as a potential top-10 pick.
The Gonzalez pick received strong praise from around the league, but more importantly, it appeared to have internal support, as well.
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Curran: Shades of Vince Wilfork in Patriots landing Gonzalez at 17?
Here's a sampling of Patriots player reactions to Gonzalez's selection, featuring safety Adrian Phillips, linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley and cornerback (and potential safety) Jalen Mills. Even recently-retired Patriots safety Devin McCourty chimed in praising the team's pick.
Second-year cornerback Jack Jones found a different way to approve of the Gonzalez pick: After mulling the idea of switching from No. 13 to No. 0, Jones suggested he'll stick with 13 to let Gonzalez -- who wore No. 0 at Oregon -- keep his college number.
The Patriots are clearly excited to have Gonzalez on board, and with good reason: At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Gonzalez was viewed as one of best boundary cornerbacks in the draft, with the athleticism and length to play man coverage against bigger receivers.
Gonzalez could step into that role on Day 1 for New England, with Jack Jones playing the opposite corner position and Jonathan Jones manning the slot.