2025 NFL Draft: Matthew Golden Scouting Report (Informal Rewrite)
So the Packers recently brought in Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden for a visit, even though their top brass was already at Texas’ pro day. That raised some eyebrows. Turns out, it’s probably because Golden is kind of a late bloomer they likely didn’t have a ton of scouting info on him from earlier years.
Golden started out at Houston, where he didn’t make a huge splash under 600 yards in each of his first two seasons. Then he transferred to Texas, and while he didn’t completely blow up stat-wise (he never hit 1,000 yards), he saved his best for last. He had two big 100-yard games both in the postseason and really turned heads late in the year.
He wasn’t a top transfer last year, and honestly, no one was hyping him as an early-round draft pick until recently. That’s probably why the Packers wanted a closer look.
The Player:
Golden’s 5’11”, 191 pounds a bit smaller than what Packers coach Matt LaFleur usually prefers at receiver. But he’s fast like 4.29 in the 40 fast. And even though he’s not huge, he’s definitely more of an outside guy than a slot receiver.
Back in 2023 at Houston, he returned two kicks for touchdowns. So there’s a shot he could start out in the NFL as a return guy while he finds his footing.
He reminds the writer of Chris Olave smooth, fast, and capable of winning deep. Olave was a bit more polished coming out, but stylistically, they’re similar.
Why Golden Over Someone Like Isaiah Bond?
1. Blocking: Golden actually tries to block. He’s not amazing at it, but he gives effort which is more than you can say for Bond. That makes Golden a better fit for a team like Green Bay that already has motion-heavy guys like Jayden Reed and needs someone who can block downfield when needed.
2. Tough Catches: Golden’s better at catching in traffic. Even with his QB at Texas sometimes underthrowing him, he still made some great contested catches.
Sure, he never broke 1,000 yards in a season, but Golden looked like a different player at the end of his Texas stint. He was averaging over 3 yards per route in his final few games a big jump from earlier in the year.
He’s got the tools to be dangerous at every level deep shots, yards after catch, punt returns, all of it. While he’s not a great blocker, he’s trying which might be enough for him to stick around as a starting Z receiver in a run-first system like the Packers’.
Late Bloomer, Big Boom: Matthew Golden’s Meteoric Rise to Draft Relevance”
