The New England Patriots appeared to immediately hit on their 2023 first-round draft pick when they took cornerback Christian Gonzalez at No. 17 overall.
The capable Oregon product wasted no time making his impact in his first month in the NFL. The Patriots rookie picked off Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on Sunday Night Football to highlight his campaign to win Defensive Rookie of the Month in September.
Gonzalez blossomed out of the gate before an injury chopped his rookie season down. The defensive back tore his labrum in Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys.