The Patriots selected Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez with the 17th overall pick in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night.

Gonzalez entered the night as a consensus top-10 talent, per most media draft experts. The 6-foot-1, 199-pounder could become a Day 1 starter for the Patriots, who have a major need at corner. He snatched four interceptions, broke up 11 passes and blocked a field goal last year as a All-Pac-12 first-teamer.

At the NFL Combine, Gonzalez tested as one of the best athletes in the entire draft. He clocked a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash, leapt 41.5 inches in the vertical jump and cranked out 14 bench press reps at 225 pounds. Gonzalez has all the tools to play the Patriots’ preferred man-to-man style of defense and joins Jonathan Jones, Jack Jones, Marcus Jones and Shaun Wade on the team’s depth chart.

The Patriots traded their initial selection, the 14th overall pick, to Pittsburgh for No. 17 and a fourth-rounder. The Steelers selected Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones, one pick ahead of the Jets, who needed offensive line help. New York followed with the first major reach of the draft, taking Iowa State edge defender Will McDonald at 15th, and the Commanders added Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes with the No. 16 pick.

The Patriots are scheduled to make their next picks at 46th overall in the second round and No. 76 in the third round. They have 11 remaining picks.

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