The chances of Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez lasting until the No. 17 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft were pretty slim.
In fact, there was a less than one percent chance of it happening, per ESPN. Luckily for the New England Patriots, he slid all the way to No. 17 and they were thrilled to take him.
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Gonzalez was a top 10 player in this class on many pre-draft rankings. He tallied 35 solo tackles with four interceptions and seven passes defensed in 12 games for the Ducks last season.
Patriots Talk: Picking Christian Gonzalez 17th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft is DREAM SCENARIO for Patriots | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
Cornerback was one position the Patriots needed to address early in the draft. Gonzalez should be a great fit in head coach Bill Belichick's defense with his speed, size (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) and coverage skills.
Here's a roundup of notable reaction from NFL experts on the Patriots taking Gonzalez in Round 1.