By Blessing 
# Detroit Lions: Quietly Host a Blazing Fast Receiver Prospect
The Detroit Lions are still searching for a reliable third option at wide receiver, and with the current depth chart, it’s clear why. Last season, Tim Patrick emerged as the team’s third-most productive receiver, finishing with just 394 yards. Right behind him was Kalif Raymond, who managed 215 yards. Both players are nearing the twilight of their careers—Patrick turns 32 this November, and Raymond isn’t far behind at 31 in August—and each is entering the final year of his contract.
That uncertainty has opened the door for Detroit to potentially target a dynamic, long-term solution in this year’s NFL Draft. And recently, they brought in a name that’s been gaining serious traction among scouts and analysts.
A Speed Demon Visits Detroit
NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Lions used one of their Top-30 visits to host wide receiver Matthew Golden, who played his final collegiate season with the Texas Longhorns. Golden lit up the NFL Combine back in February, turning heads with an astonishing 4.29-second 40-yard dash—the fastest time among wide receivers at this year’s event. That type of speed is hard to ignore, and it’s one of the key reasons why Golden is climbing draft boards. In fact, some experts now project him as a late first-round pick.
Golden’s Lone Season at Texas Made Noise
Before joining the Longhorns, Golden spent two seasons at the University of Houston. But it was in Austin where he truly broke out. During the 2024 season, he posted career-high numbers across the board: 58 receptions, 987 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns. He led the Longhorns in both receiving yards and touchdowns and finished second in total catches.
His performance didn’t just elevate his draft stock—it showed he could step into a bigger role and produce at a high level in a competitive environment.
Scouting Snapshot: What the Experts Are Saying
NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein had high praise for Golden’s versatility and development:
> “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.”
Zierlein did note some occasional focus drops in Golden’s game, but emphasized his physicality and improved contested catch ability in 2024. He added:
> “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.”
With the Lions in need of reliable depth and a spark of explosiveness at receiver, Matthew Golden might just be the kind of prospect who fits both the present and future in Detroit.