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The Green Bay Packers wasted no time addressing their need at wide receiver in the 2025 NFL Draft—selecting Texas speedster Matthew Golden with the 23rd overall pick on Thursday night.
The selection ended a 22-year drought in which the Packers opted against taking a wide receiver in the first round. However, Golden was just too good of a fit to pass up.
"He's fast. Really athletic. Excellent hands. And I just think he's a Packer. He's the kind of guy we want in our locker room; he's going to fit in with our guys," general manager Brian Gutekunst said.
Fast is an understatement. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Golden ran the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds, the fastest time of any wide receiver. That speed translates to the field, where he was an effective vertical threat for the Longhorns.
Golden transferred from Houston and became one of the best receivers in the country at Texas. During his lone season in Austin, he finished with 58 catches, 987 yards, and nine touchdowns, helping lead the team during an impressive run to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Coaches and draft pundits rave about Golden's athleticism and route-running ability. However, to truly appreciate his skill set and what he brings to Green Bay's offense, the film paints a better picture.
So, without further ado, let's break down Golden's film from the 2024 season and see what made the Packers pull the trigger in the first round.
Let's start with Golden up against one of the top corner prospects in this year's draft, Will Johnson. Golden uses his hands to get off the jam and find an open area against zone coverage to pick up a chunk play. This play demonstrates his ability to get off the line of scrimmage against aggressive coverages.
Golden changes tempos well to create separation. Here, he closes the space on the corner, then uses his hands, feet, and burst to get open. He also does a nice job showing awareness to get his feet in bounds.
Everyone knows how much Matt LaFleur likes to use motion. Golden will be a great fit because he has the versatility to be used as a move receiver to create free releases like this one. This play also highlights his smooth route-running ability. Without decelerating, he gives the corner a nice shoulder fake to the outside before planting his foot to run an in-breaker. Leave corners on an island against Golden at your own risk.
Golden's elite play speed is obvious, but he is also adept at adjusting to passes away from his frame. He makes a nice adjustment here to haul in an underthrown ball.
Even in off-coverage, corners have to respect Golden's speed. He eats up cushions in a heartbeat and can stop on a dime. He is also quick to get upfield with the ball in his hands.
Golden might be a tad undersized, but you couldn't tell watching his tape. He plays like he's 6-1 with the way he's able to highpoint the ball and make contested catches. This play is also a good example of his ability to play off-script.
Sudden is a good word to describe Golden. He runs precise routes and understands how to attack leverage and use angles to create separation. His ability to get vertical and then decelerate is impressive.
Golden's quickness is a weapon after the catch as well. He's not easy to bring down when he has the ball in space.
Golden displays excellent concentration when tracking balls over his shoulder. He's a natural hands-catcher with good awareness and body control when making plays near the sideline.
The Packers came into the draft needing more speed and playmaking at wide receiver. They were able to accomplish both by taking Golden. His timed speed matches his play speed and he plays under control. As a route runner, he is explosive off the line and is super fluid out of breaks. His stems have good attention to detail and he recognizes different coverages and how to attack them. He also has excellent hands and body control and plays bigger than his measurements.
After adding Golden, Green Bay has a nice blend of skill sets at receiver. Golden possesses the alignment versatility to play anywhere on the field. Guys can be used interchangeably to keep defenses guessing. Obviously, Golden can fill the outside speed role Christian Watson has played in recent years, but that's not all he brings.
Regarding areas of his game that need improvement, Golden is a willing run-blocker but needs some refinement. He also needs to prove he can consistently get open against physical corners.
Overall, Golden should have an immediate impact in the Packers' offense, both in the quick game and as a field stretcher. His upside is a legitimate No.1 wide receiver, something Green Bay hasn't had since Davante Adams.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers film room: Highlighting what first-round WR Matthew Golden brings to the offense
Continue reading...
The selection ended a 22-year drought in which the Packers opted against taking a wide receiver in the first round. However, Golden was just too good of a fit to pass up.
"He's fast. Really athletic. Excellent hands. And I just think he's a Packer. He's the kind of guy we want in our locker room; he's going to fit in with our guys," general manager Brian Gutekunst said.
Fast is an understatement. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Golden ran the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds, the fastest time of any wide receiver. That speed translates to the field, where he was an effective vertical threat for the Longhorns.
Golden transferred from Houston and became one of the best receivers in the country at Texas. During his lone season in Austin, he finished with 58 catches, 987 yards, and nine touchdowns, helping lead the team during an impressive run to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Coaches and draft pundits rave about Golden's athleticism and route-running ability. However, to truly appreciate his skill set and what he brings to Green Bay's offense, the film paints a better picture.
So, without further ado, let's break down Golden's film from the 2024 season and see what made the Packers pull the trigger in the first round.
Let's start with Golden up against one of the top corner prospects in this year's draft, Will Johnson. Golden uses his hands to get off the jam and find an open area against zone coverage to pick up a chunk play. This play demonstrates his ability to get off the line of scrimmage against aggressive coverages.
Golden changes tempos well to create separation. Here, he closes the space on the corner, then uses his hands, feet, and burst to get open. He also does a nice job showing awareness to get his feet in bounds.
Everyone knows how much Matt LaFleur likes to use motion. Golden will be a great fit because he has the versatility to be used as a move receiver to create free releases like this one. This play also highlights his smooth route-running ability. Without decelerating, he gives the corner a nice shoulder fake to the outside before planting his foot to run an in-breaker. Leave corners on an island against Golden at your own risk.
Golden's elite play speed is obvious, but he is also adept at adjusting to passes away from his frame. He makes a nice adjustment here to haul in an underthrown ball.
Even in off-coverage, corners have to respect Golden's speed. He eats up cushions in a heartbeat and can stop on a dime. He is also quick to get upfield with the ball in his hands.
Golden might be a tad undersized, but you couldn't tell watching his tape. He plays like he's 6-1 with the way he's able to highpoint the ball and make contested catches. This play is also a good example of his ability to play off-script.
Sudden is a good word to describe Golden. He runs precise routes and understands how to attack leverage and use angles to create separation. His ability to get vertical and then decelerate is impressive.
Golden's quickness is a weapon after the catch as well. He's not easy to bring down when he has the ball in space.
Golden displays excellent concentration when tracking balls over his shoulder. He's a natural hands-catcher with good awareness and body control when making plays near the sideline.
Conclusion
The Packers came into the draft needing more speed and playmaking at wide receiver. They were able to accomplish both by taking Golden. His timed speed matches his play speed and he plays under control. As a route runner, he is explosive off the line and is super fluid out of breaks. His stems have good attention to detail and he recognizes different coverages and how to attack them. He also has excellent hands and body control and plays bigger than his measurements.
After adding Golden, Green Bay has a nice blend of skill sets at receiver. Golden possesses the alignment versatility to play anywhere on the field. Guys can be used interchangeably to keep defenses guessing. Obviously, Golden can fill the outside speed role Christian Watson has played in recent years, but that's not all he brings.
Regarding areas of his game that need improvement, Golden is a willing run-blocker but needs some refinement. He also needs to prove he can consistently get open against physical corners.
Overall, Golden should have an immediate impact in the Packers' offense, both in the quick game and as a field stretcher. His upside is a legitimate No.1 wide receiver, something Green Bay hasn't had since Davante Adams.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers film room: Highlighting what first-round WR Matthew Golden brings to the offense
Continue reading...
