While cornerback Christian Gonzalez has been one of the few Patriots bright spots in the last two years, a recent report shed light on how close another team came to drafting him right in front of New England in 2023.
Gonzalez, 22, was picked 17th overall by the Patriots in that year’s draft. It proved to be one of the last great draft picks of the Bill Belichick era, secured after a trade with the Steelers. Gonzalez quickly developed into a shutdown cornerback, fighting against the tide on an otherwise declining New England defense (especially in 2024).