3 prospects the Commanders could regret passing on in the 2023 NFL Draft
By Dean Jones
Commanders could regret passing on Christian Gonzalez
Not many analysts projected cornerback Christian Gonzalez to be around when the Washington Commanders went on the clock at No. 16 overall. When that turned out to be the case, one couldn't ignore the possibility of Ron Rivera deviating from his original plan.
As it turned out, Emmanuel Forbes was their guy all along. The Mississippi State product comes into the NFL with concerns about his weight, but the production within a high-caliber SEC is a tremendous foundation from which to build a prolific career at the next level.
Forbes will be tagged to Gonzalez thanks to Washington's decision. He went one spot later to the New England Patriots at No. 17 overall, with Bill Belichick wasting little time handing in the team's card.
This spoke volumes about how the legendary figure views Gonzalez, who has the athleticism and physical profile to become a star. If this comes to fruition and Forbes doesn't meet targets, then this choice is going to come under severe scrutiny.
That might not be fair to either party, but it's the nature of the business. For now, fans can relax safe in the knowledge Forbes has the tools to make a significant difference to an already gifted defense.