“With the 23rd pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The 13 time world champion Green Bay Packers for the first time since 2002, draft a wide receiver…” Mark Murphy announced in front of an energized crowd outside of Lambeau Field. “Matthew Golden, wide receiver.” The crowd erupts in a wave of cheers, losing their minds in what was a sea of green and yellow.
We have every right to be this excited. The Packers got an absolute steal and drafted the second best projected wide receiver in the draft. Golden, the third player at his position to be selected, walked out on stage with a shiny gold suit acknowledging and hyping up the cheesehead faithful embracing his new home.
Golden was projected to be drafted in the teens range and fell to the Packers. Whether the plan was to draft a wide receiver or not, it was too good of a draft pick for GM Brian Gutekunst to pass up.
Hearing Golden’s name announced by Packer’s CEO Murphy, who is working his last draft before retirement, sent shockwaves of cheers and celebration as the Pack seemingly struck gold with their pick. Green Bay gets a weapon for QB Jordan Love that is ready to produce and impact the team now adding significant depth to the wide receiver room.
Measurables:
5’11 191 lbs. 40-yard dash time 4.29. 10-yard split 1.49 seconds. NFL Next Gen Stats gives him an 82 rating.
College Stats:
– 2022 (Houston): Played in 11 games with 8 starts with 38 catches, 584 yards averaging 15.4 YPC, 7 receiving TDs. – 2023 (Houston): Tied for the team lead with 6 receiving TDs on 38 catches for 404 yards averaging 10.6 YPC.
– 2024 (Texas): Led the team with 987 receiving yards on 58 catches averaging 17 YPC and 9 touchdowns.
What the Experts Think:
“Extremely impressive route tree, especially for a receiver with one year in a pro-style offense. And not only did Golden run every route imaginable (and some great combos), but he also would change his pace and tempo to help set up defensive backs when he kicked into a higher gear. His diverse routes and varied speed will be exciting for playcallers to go to the lab with. Playing at Texas helped give him more exposure to routes.” -Dave Richard CBS Sports
“His quick trigger that allows him to get open in a hurry combined with his strong, reliable hands will make him an absolute go-to-guy on third and manageable. Eighty-two of his 116 career catches have resulted in a first down or touchdown” – Ourlads.
“Golden works all three levels of the field with similar consistency and productivity. His route-running needs refinement, but he does a decent job of altering tempo and separating at break points. Golden has the ability to play all three receiver spots. He also has the agility and body control to turn near-misses into highlight catches. Focus drops still pepper his play, but he’s a willing participant in traffic and took command of contested catches with better physicality and catch strength in 2024. Golden’s starting-level traits and big leap forward as a go-to playmaker have him primed to become a productive catch-maker with the potential to develop into a WR1 in the future.”-Lance Zierlein NFL.com
Players who were Still Available:
There was a lot of speculation that the Packers would draft a cornerback, and there were two solid players still available with Will Johnson from Michigan and Maxwell Hairston from Kentucky. Packers could have gone the linebacker route with Jihaad Campbell from Alabama. After drafting an offensive lineman in last year’s first-round, Green Bay did not repeat recent history leaving two on the board between OT Josh Simmons from Ohio State and OG Donovan Johnson from Ohio State, who was drafted by division rival Minnesota Vikings at pick 24.
Why they drafted Matthew Golden:
Packers come out as arguably the biggest winner from the first-round with this selection. When the lights were at their brightest in the college football playoff, Golden shinned on the big stage and made consistently clutch catches.
In the SEC Champion against Georgia, Golden finished with 8 receptions for 162 yards. He is only 21 years old and out of 39 wide receivers who ran the 40-yard dash at the combine, he clocked in the fastest time at 4.29.
Watching film and YouTube highlights does not do his speed justice. His ability to create space and burst off the line showcases his pure athleticism as an offensive deep threat. He is reliable with catching slants or quick throws down the sideline with his ability to get open and has natural instincts when adjusting to contested passes.
Brian Gutekunst had this to say about drafting Golden: “Obviously he has elite speed. His ability to stretch the field outside the numbers is really, really important. And when you watch him, we thought he arguably had some of the best hands in the draft.” Welcome to Green Bay, the Golden one!
