The Patriots top-five most likely first round draft choices in 2023

Christian Gonzalez – CB – Oregon

As one of the top three positions on the team that the Patriots are likely to address in round one, selecting the second-ranked cornerback wouldn’t be a bad option to go with.

Depending on which mock draft you look at, Christian Gonzalez hasn’t fallen out of the top 10 very often. But on the chance that he does, the Patriots should jump at the opportunity to take him. That’s what draft expert Mel Kiper had Bill Belichick do in his latest mock in an attempt to help build a better secondary after the retirement of Devin McCourty and likely switch to safety by Jalen Mills.

Kiper pegged Gonzalez as one of the three players the Patriots will target in the first round and used their need to compete in a challenging conference as a reason to make the pick.

"“Gonzalez is the bigger corner, and in the AFC against all these elite quarterbacks, matching up in coverage is critical. Gonzalez would give them something in terms of length that they need.”"

At 6-foot-1, he would be among the tallest of the secondary group, bringing the much-needed height to compete with some of the most dynamic receivers in the AFC. He would also bring consistency to the team with his performance and ball-hawking skills that any team would love to have.