The Green Bay Packers are known for not selecting wide receivers early in the NFL Draft.
That’s why, even though several analysts had Matthew Golden projected as going to the Packers, fans were still surprised to see them take him in the first round of the 2025 draft.
The Texas product got off to a slow start to the season, making some rookie mistakes and struggling with the physicality of the league.
However, the Packers continued to get him involved.
After watching him break out, it appears to have been the right approach.
With that in mind, Jim Hyman of Pro Football Focus gushed about Golden’s most recent game.
“Packers fans waited over 20 years for the team to take a wide receiver in the first round, and based on his Week 6 performance against the [Cincinnati] Bengals, Matthew Golden may well have been worth the wait. Golden caught three of his five targets, all of which resulted in first downs, for 86 yards and a 90.0 PFF receiving grade,” Wyman wrote.
Golden has gotten better every game, which is obviously the goal for young players.
The Packers didn’t need to rush him into action because of the many weapons they have on offense.
They’ve used him on special teams, logging carries out of the backfield, in intermediate routes, and as a big-play specialist.
His speed, acceleration and route tree make him an intriguing prospect who should thrive in head coach Matt LaFleur’s offense, especially with a quarterback like Jordan Love, who’s never going to hesitate to test the secondary with some big throws.
Of course, Golden might take a backseat once Christian Watson returns from his ACL injury.
But Golden should continue to be a legitimate threat and a prime weapon this season, and he’s only going to get a bigger role as the years go by.
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