Christian Gonzalez

Christian Gonzalez is their guy to lock down opposing WRs . He can tackle - earned the 12th-lowest missed-tackle rate in class at 4.9% - and make plays on the ball. Gonzalez has hardly hit his peak since a 2022 breakout campaign; he has yet to turn 21 years old. Not to mention, he is an uber-athlete. At the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, Gonzalez ran a 4.38 40-yard dash (89th percentile) and posted the second-highest vertical jump (41.5, 96th percentile).

The New England Patriots have selected CB Christian Gonzalez with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Fantasy Impact

Bill Belichick got a new toy for his defensive backfield. Gonzalez is a big corner at 6’1” and he is what the Patriots need to keep up with all of the receiver talent in the AFC East. Gonzalez is explosive as they come for his size with a 40” inch vertical and has a great ability to play press coverage. Thor Nystrom has Gonzalez as No. 14 overall and CB3 with an NFL player comp of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on his Top 500 big board. New England went offense in the first round last year, taking OL Cole Strange, but chose to address their defense first in this year’s draft. The Patriots already have a perennially solid fantasy draft and Gonzalez gives them even more talent on that side of the ball and a player with size and skill unlike anyone else in the defensive backfield.