Tag: Christian Gonzalez

Noah Sewell selected by Chicago Bears in fifth round of 2023 NFL Draft

Noah Sewell selected by Chicago Bears in fifth round of 2023 NFL Draft

A third member of the Sewell family has officially gone professional.

Oregon Ducks linebacker Noah Sewell was drafted by the Chicago Bears on Saturday afternoon with the No. 148 overall pick in the fifth round. He is the third player to come off of the board for the Ducks, following the lead of CB Christian Gonzalez, who was selected by the New England Patriots with the No. 17 overall pick on Thursday.

Sewell’s fit with the Bears makes a lot of sense, as he can bring a physical nature to the linebacker room and act as a solid run-stopper. The biggest area of his game that needs to improve is his coverage and pass defense, but that’s something that should continue to grow over the coming years at the next level.

Sewell finished his Oregon career playing 33 games over three season, racking up 218 total tackles, 20.5 TFL, 7.5 sacks, and 2 INT. He was named the Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2020, and received First-Team All-Pac-12 honors in 2021, and second-team honors in 2022.

A couple of years ago, Oregon fans probably would have expected Sewell to be a first- or second-rounder, but a relatively down season in 2022 under Dan Lanning’s new defensive scheme led to the younger Sewell brother slipping until the fifth round.

Noah’s older brothers, Penei and Nephi, entered the league over the past few years, with Penei being drafted by the Detroit Lions with the No. 7 overall pick, and Nephi signing an undrafted free-agent deal with the New Orleans Saints.

[mm-video type=video id=01gz3xhpgqx8v6af9xt5 playlist_id=01f27mq9z7hjgk6vc6 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gz3xhpgqx8v6af9xt5/01gz3xhpgqx8v6af9xt5-cd7298c316f747ff2af1448ee2ad6aa9.jpg]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Former Buffs CB Christian Gonzalez goes in first round to Patriots

ICYMI: Former Buffs CB Christian Gonzalez went in the first round of the NFL draft

The Colorado Buffaloes haven’t had many drafted into the NFL in recent years, although that will certainly change with Deion Sanders taking over the program.

However, former Buffs CB Christian Gonzalez heard his name called in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, going 17th overall to the New England Patriots.

Gonzalez moved to the Oregon Ducks for his final collegiate season, and that transition appeared to help his draft stock. The Buffs surely missed him this past season on defense as well.

Gonzalez entered the draft as one of the top cornerbacks in the class. Jordy McElroy of Patriots Wire loves the selection of Gonzalez:

Gonzalez is a big, physical cornerback that can match up outside with the best receivers in the NFL. He finished his collegiate career with 50 tackles, four interceptions and seven pass deflections in 2022, when quarterbacks were rarely looking to throw in his direction.

Gonzalez should immediately see playing time with Bill Belichick and the Patriots, and he gets to learn from one of the best head coaches in NFL history.

Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=26]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fc3h5x4enxt6nsr4 player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]

Notable players, and notable busts to be drafted at No. 17 in past two decades

The 17th pick in the NFL Draft has been full of hits and misses over the past two decades.

I think we all feel confident that Christian Gonzalez will join the group of “hits” in New England.

Former Oregon Ducks’ cornerback Christian Gonzalez was selected No. 17 overall by the New England Patriots, and most believe the pick was an absolute steal.

Over the last 20 seasons, the players picked in that same exact slot have had a few Pro Bowl appearances and even a few Super Bowls. But as with all spots, No. 17 has been hit-and-miss for NFL teams in the middle of the first round of the draft.

Another former Duck, Arik Armstead, was also picked No, 17 overall and he’s had a great career for the San Francisco 49ers so far. He might be the best player at that spot in recent seasons, but even the “misses” have been relatively successful for their respective organizations.

Hopefully, Gonzalez can prove the “experts” right and have a great career for Bill Belichick’s Patriot team, who are looking for their first Super Bowl after Tom Brady.

Here’s a look at the hits and misses at No. 17 over the past couple of decades.

Can Oregon Ducks continue 1st-round NFL Draft streak in 2024?

The Ducks have had a player drafted in the first round for 4 consecutive years.

Who is the most likely to continue that streak next year?

On Thursday night, the Oregon Ducks continued a historic streak that is a few years in the making; they had a player selected in the first round of the NFL Draft for the fourth consecutive year.

It was a year ago that the Ducks actually made history when Kayvon Thibodeaux was selected by the New York Giants, making it the first time that an Oregon player was selected in the first round for three-straight years. On Thursday, the Ducks added another year to that streak, though, with Christian Gonzalez going to the New England Patriots with the No. 17 overall pick.

[lawrence-related id=42023]

The question now begs to be asked: can Oregon make it five years in a row?

We are still a year away from the 2024 NFL Draft, but it’s fair to ask whether or not the Ducks can get another first-round pick next April, and who has a chance to be that player.

We’ve got a handful of potential candidates, assuming a stellar season is to come in 2023.

Projected salary and signing bonus for New England cornerback Christian Gonzalez

Christian Gonzalez is about to be a very rich man.

It’s draft night, and for the last few weeks, Oregon Ducks fans have been speculating where Oregon’s former star CB, Christian Gonzalez will play his pro football next year.

Turns out, he is headed to Foxborough to join the New England Patriots’ defense. He was drafted with the 17th overall pick, although most experts expected him to be taken sooner. While the financial compensation of the 17th pick won’t be as substantial as a pick in the top ten, it will still be expansive.

Last year, the 17th pick belonged to the Los Angeles Chargers, who picked Zion Johnson, an O-lineman from Boston College. His contract is worth 14.75 million according to OverTheCap, and last year he received a signing bonus of $7.9 million.

This year, it seems Gonzalez will be slightly more fortunate than Johnson. Soon, he will sign a four-year contract that is projected by OverTheCap to be worth about $15.69 million. He is also expected to get a signing bonus of $8.41 million.

In 2022, Johnson saw $2.68 million of the $14.75 million he is guaranteed over the four years of his deal. This means that last year, he was paid about 18 percent of his contract value. If Gonzalez ends up making the same share in 2023, he’ll make $2.85 million in 2023, not to mention his hefty signing bonus.

[mm-video type=video id=01gz2tkfkghwrwcf8stz playlist_id=01f27mq9z7hjgk6vc6 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gz2tkfkghwrwcf8stz/01gz2tkfkghwrwcf8stz-56bb4de4b39a9872d292a4074344546a.jpg]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

WATCH: Patriots season ticket holders’ live reaction to Christian Gonzalez draft pick

There was a big pop from season ticket holders after the Patriots drafted Christian Gonzalez on Thursday night.

The New England Patriots selected Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez with the 17th overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft, and Patriots’ season ticket holders loved every second of it.

Gonzalez gives the Patriots another corner in a room that needed depth. His athleticism could help the team out tremendously, as they have to face premium quarterback talent in the AFC East division.

Patriots’ season ticket holders will get to see Gonzalez take on some of the top teams in all of football as the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and Philadelphia Eagles all come to Gillette Stadium in 2023.

Time will tell how the Gonzalez pick shapes up. For right now, however, many Patriots fans seem excited by the selection, and this video proves it.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Commanders make surprising draft pick at No. 16

Some were surprised the Commanders took Forbes over other cornerbacks, such as Christian Gonzalez. Rivera explained.

They took a cornerback at No. 16.

The Commanders? Yes.

Oh, who did they get, Christian Gonzalez? No.

But actually, the very next team on the clock the New England Patriots did select Gonzalez.

Oh, so they took Deonte Banks from Maryland! Nope, not Banks.

Oh, of course, it must have been Joey Porter Jr, the Commanders selected at No. 16. No, not Porter either.

The Commanders surprised everyone; with Gonzalez, Banks and Porter still available, they chose Mississippi State corner Emmanuel Forbes, all 166 pounds of him.

Head coach Ron Rivera came over and talked with Julie Donaldson, Logan Paulsen and Brian Mitchell just moments following the selection of Forbes.

Rivera spoke of Forbes’ ability to create turnovers. He said last year though the defense was better, they lacked takeaways, and they felt Forbes could really help in that area.

When asked about Forbes’ lack of size (166 pounds) Rivera responded  Forbes played in the tough SEC, and did not miss games, so they really feel good about selecting Forbes.

Rivera mentioned they interviewed Forbes at the NFL combine, he was one of their 30 visits, and they also Zoom interviewed him as well.

“He (Forbes) will come in and compete and help us and our team as we go forward,” said an optimistic Rivera. “With his ball skills, he has the ability to make plays.”

“He has good spatial awareness; he understands where he is on the field and then also recognizes where people are coming from. You see it when you put the tape on and watch him attack the ball, get his hands on the ball, make the interception. Those are all things we see as pluses and can work with.”

Rivera closed saying he wanted to express thanks to the personnel department, saying the college scouts had done an excellent job.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Next Gen Stats had Emmanuel Forbes as the 2023 NFL draft’s 2nd-ranked cornerback

And Forbes was the second cornerback taken, ahead of Christian Gonzalez.

Twitter GMs were going wild during the first round of the 2023 NFL draft Thursday when the Washington Commanders selected Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes at No. 16 overall.

The reasons were endless. “How can you take Forbes over Christian Gonzalez?” “He’s too skinny.” “We had him as a second-round pick.”

There are multiple reasons Washington should be excited about Forbes. The 6-foot-1 cornerback weighs only 166 pounds, but in three years at Mississippi Stae, playing in the SEC against the best players in college football, Forbes set an FBS record with six interceptions returned for touchdowns.

Devon Witherspoon was the top cornerback in the 2023 NFL draft and was drafted accordingly, going to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 5 overall. Gonazlez was widely considered the second-ranked cornerback, but teams with a need at cornerback passed on Gonzalez, including Washington.

But, according to Next Gen Stats, it was Forbes who was the 2023 draft’s second-ranked cornerback.

The Commanders filled a significant need Thursday by adding the draft’s top defensive playmaker in Forbes.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

New England Patriots draft grades: Patriots earn an ‘A+’ for Christian Gonzalez pick

The Patriots knocked it out of the park with this draft pick.

New England Patriots fans should be grinning ear-to-ear after a masterclass by coach Bill Belichick at the 2023 NFL draft on Thursday night.

Yes, there was a bit of concern when Belichick traded down from the No. 14 overall spot to No. 17 with the Pittsburgh Steelers, particularly when cornerback Christian Gonzalez and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba were both still on the board.

But even after trading back, the Patriots still managed to come away with Gonzalez and an extra fourth-round draft pick (No. 120).

Gonzalez was projected as a top-10 player on most mock draft boards heading into the event. So the fact that he was still available that late for the Patriots is shocking. It’s an A-plus selection for Belichick, who managed to come away with an extra draft pick and a high-end draft prospect.

The Patriots added size and physicality to a defensive backfield that already had Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones and Jack Jones. Gonzalez joining the mix could turn the cornerback room into one of the most formidable groups in the entire league.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqby79hc76t2s390 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez describes what he will bring to team

Christian Gonzalez makes his first comments as a Patriot.

The New England Patriots selected Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez with the 17th overall pick on Thursday night. Gonzalez met with the media shortly after and discussed what it meant to be drafted by the organization.

Gonzalez had a standout year for Oregon in 2022. He recorded 50 tackles and four interceptions last season, making himself one of the most dangerous corners in the country. Now, he is ready to go to work for a unit in New England that is headlined by Jonathan Jones and Jack Jones. New England also has help at the cornerback position with Marcus Jones.

Gonzalez discussed what he would be able to bring to the table, as transcribed by the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan.

New England has a history of developing successful corners. Former All-Pro corner J.C. Jackson is a player that sticks out in recent memory. There’s also Ty Law, if you go back even further. Law was drafted in the first round in 1995 and went on to become a Hall of Famer.

Gonzalez talked about being a part of that tradition as well.

It will be intriguing to see what path Gonzalez’s career takes with the Patriots. He might have ended up with the right team at the right time for his overall development.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqby79hc76t2s390 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]