The Lions might be set at wide receiver right now, but that didn’t stop them from doing their homework on one of the fastest and most exciting playmakers in this year’s draft. Over the weekend, Detroit hosted Texas wideout Matthew Golden—one of the hottest names in the first-round conversation—for a pre-draft visit.
Golden is fresh off a breakout season where he racked up 987 yards and nine touchdowns, and he turned heads at the NFL Combine with a blazing 4.29-second 40-yard dash—the fastest among all wide receivers. He’s widely projected to be a top-20 pick, with ESPN’s Mel Kiper and NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah both ranking him well ahead of Detroit’s No. 28 pick.
Still, if Golden slips down the board, the Lions may pounce.
Detroit already has one of the NFL’s most dangerous receiving duos in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. But both Kalif Raymond and Tim Patrick are on short-term deals, and there’s uncertainty around Williams long-term due to his suspension history and the rising price of keeping top-tier receivers. Golden could be a smart long-term investment—especially with several big-money extensions looming for other young stars like Aidan Hutchinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Kerby Joseph.
If the board breaks right on draft night, don’t be shocked if Brad Holmes pulls the trigger on another explosive weapon.
