Texas coach Steve Sarkisian had nothing but good things to say about the work ethic, athleticism, hands, playstyle and personality of wide receiver Matthew Golden, who was selected No. 23 overall by the Green Bay Packers during Thursday night’s first round in Green Bay.
Golden spent only one year with Sarkisian and the Longhorns but still managed to make a big impression, leading Texas in receiving yards and becoming a go-to target in big moments for a CFP team in 2024. Now, Golden — who ran 4.29 in the 40-yard dash at the combine — is headed to Green Bay as a first-round pick.
Here is Sarkisian on Golden, the third of three Texas players to go in the first round on Thursday night:
“He showed everyone his speed and explosiveness at the combine, but what a great player Matthew Golden is. What I really loved about him was the way he worked, his commitment to his craft and how he got better as the year went on. He came to us from more of an air raid system at Houston, so the transition wasn’t as easy, but the end result was that he was our most productive and reliable receiver.”
“He’s a fantastic player. Matt showed everyone how fast he was with that 40 time, but his short area quickness, how he gets in and out of breaks makes him truly elite. He has extremely strong hands, makes contested catches, can do it at all three levels – whether it’s the short game, the intermediate, the deep balls – and he’s at his best in the most critical moments. You top that off with the blue-collar attitude he has, the fact that he’s a great teammate who you can really count on day in and day out, that’s what really separates him. He works, he’s no nonsense, he’s tough and does the dirty work blocking linebackers, safeties and event defensive ends. All in all, I think this guy is getting all that he deserves, and Green Bay is going to love him.”
NFL DRAFT HUB: Live NFL Draft news, live picks, grades, analysis and more.
Sarkisian’s evaluation almost identically matches what general manager Brian Gutekunst said he liked about Golden after picking him on Thursday night. Speed, hands, versatility, personality. Golden checked all the boxes for the Packers.
Even a cursory look at Golden’s tape aligns with the evaluation. Texas lined him up all over the field and got him the ball at all areas of the field, and he consistently threatened defenses deep with speed, used his speed as a weapon to get open in the intermediate areas and made terrific contested catches at every level, especially in the red zone. The fact that Golden was able to jump from Houston to Texas, learn a brand new offense and emerge as a legitimate playmaker for a top program is a credit to his development and ascension as a player entering the NFL.
Golden spent two seasons at Houston before transferring to Texas in 2024. He finished his collegiate career with 134 catches for 1,975 yards. Golden caught 22 touchdown passes and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns across 33 starts. In 2024, he led Texas with 987 receiving yards and finished with nine touchdowns, including the game-tying touchdown in the Longhorns’ quarterfinal playoff win over Arizona State. Over the final four games of the 2024 season, Golden caught 19 passes for 411 yards — including 100-yard games against both Georgia in the SEC title game and Arizona State.
