NFL Draft preview: Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez leads our list of top Pac-12 prospects

Christian Gonzalez’s football journey has taken him from a childhood in The Colony, Tex., to Boulder and Eugene for college and, this week, to Kansas City for the NFL Draft.

That atypical route (two schools in the same conference) could bring an unprecedented conclusion: If draft projections are correct, Gonzalez will become the highest-drafted Pac-12 cornerback this century.

Not since Arizona’s Chris McAlister was selected 10th by the Ravens in 1999 has the conference produced a top-10 pick at the highly-valued position.

Over the past 23 drafts, eight cornerbacks have been selected in the first round, none higher than No. 11 (Washington State’s Marcus Trufant in 2003).

Gonzalez, who spent two years at Colorado before transferring to Oregon for the 2022 season, is considered one of the top-two cornerbacks alongside Devon Witherspoon of Illinois.

Several projections slot him in the No. 7 (Raiders) to No. 10 (Eagles) range and the object of a potential draft-night trade. But NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks pegged Gonzalez to the Seahawks with the fifth pick.

“Pete Carroll attempts to recreate the ‘Legion of Boom’ with Gonzalez joining Tariq Woolen to give the Seahawks a pair of super-sized corners on the perimeter,” Brooks opined in his latest mock draft.

The 6-foot-2 Gonzalez, whose father, Hector, played college basketball for UTEP, has the ideal combination of size, agility and straight-line speed. In pre-draft workouts, he clocked 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash and posted a vertical jump of 41.5 inches.

“Gonzalez is a tall and fluid cornerback with excellent ball skills,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah wrote in his scouting report. “Overall, Gonzalez gave up some plays early in the 2022 campaign, but he improved throughout the year and should be a quality Day 1 starting cornerback.”

Gonzalez will have Pac-12 company Thursday night, with USC receiver Jordan Addison and Utah tight end projected for the second half of the first round in numerous mock drafts.

Our look at the conference’s top prospects …

1. Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez: A four-star prospect, Gonzalez committed to Colorado in the fall of 2019, during the brief Mel Tucker era. According to 247Sports, he visited three campuses during the recruiting process: CU, Arizona State and Notre Dame. Projected round: first

2. USC receiver Jordan Addison: A premium playmaker who could climb into the early teens or drop into the mid-20s depending on team needs and player availability. Addison’s only significant weakness is his slender frame and lack of brute strength to ward off physical coverage. Otherwise, he has it all. Projected round: first

3. Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid: This might be a good time to remind readers that Kincaid played one year of high school football, was an unrated recruit and spent two seasons at the University of San Diego before transferring to Utah and emerging as a likely Day One pick. Projected round: first

4. UCLA running back Zach Charbonnet: The most skilled all-around tailback the Pac-12 has produced in years and one of the top prospects at his position in the draft. The only problem: With the exception of mega-talents — and Charbonnet isn’t quite that — even the best running backs are typically Day Two selections. Projected round: second

5. Oregon State tight end Luke Musgrave: An elite athlete for his position, Musgrave could sneak into the end of the first round — his ceiling is arguably higher than Kincaid’s — and eventually turn into an All Pro. But he missed most of the season with a knee injury, which could give pause to interested suitors. Projected round: second

6. Utah cornerback Clark Phillips III: No defensive back in the conference made a greater impact on the field in 2022 than Phillips — and that includes Gonzalez. But the former Utah star lacks the physical skills and stature of a Day One selection. In fact, he might be better equipped as a slot corner in the NFL. Projected round: third