The New England Patriots selected Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez with the 17th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Many fans and media alike predicted New England would select a wide receiver. The need for a top receiver was important for the Patriots, but the front office had other plans.
New England decided to go defense and add depth to the cornerback room. Gonzalez is coming off a season with Oregon that saw him record four interceptions and 50 total tackles. He has already been a minicamp standout, and he could be even more of an important piece with the current situation surrounding Jack Jones.
Bill Belichick doesn’t necessarily subscribe to the theory of drafting for needs. When speaking with The 33rd Team’s Andy Benoit, he admitted that he prefers the approach of taking the best player available on the draft board.
“When we go into the draft, we don’t really target one guy. Need isn’t as big of a criteria as good football players. I learned that at the Giants in ‘94 when we took Carl Banks. We had [Lawrence] Taylor obviously, and it was kind of like ‘Why are we taking another outside linebacker?’ As it turned out, that was probably one of the better picks that we had at the Giants.
“…I don’t think it’s about where you need a player. If you’ve got a good football player, nobody’s ever gonna regret that. I’m glad Gonzo was there. I think when you just go and look for one guy and then he is not there, there’s other players in the draft that can help us as well. He’s been great to work with, and, you know, look forward to getting him ready to go for training camp.”
Bill Belichick knows the #Patriots defense got a good one in rookie CB Christian Gonzalez @Andy_Benoit details how versatility and depth has helped keep New England's defense thriving #ForeverNE
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) June 20, 2023
Gonzalez certainly has the opportunity to inject life into the secondary as the Patriots will face some potent passing attacks just within their own division.
The Gonzalez pick also reaffirmed the team’s strategy to continue to load up on the defensive side of the ball. It ensured the Patriots will have impact players for years to come.
