The Green Bay Packers used the No. 23 pick overall of the 2025 NFL Draft on Texas Longhorns wide receiver Matthew Golden. It makes the first time since 2002 that Green Bay picked a wideout in the first round of a draft. On Friday, general manager Brian Gutenkunst shared an eye-opening take about the team's newest player.
After Day 1 of the NFL Draft, the Packers' general manager revealed that he and the organization believe that Golden's best football is ahead of him, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. Gutekunst fully believes that the former Texas wideout has plenty of room to grow and become an emerging star in Green Bay.
“The one thing, as we scouted [Matthew Golden], he's a third-year junior coming out, he’s a young guy, and his best football is ahead of him,” said Gutekunst. “He's still got a lot of room for growth. He's not at his ceiling.”
At 21 years old, Golden joins a Packers wide receiver room stacked with Jaylen Reed, Christian Watson, and Romeo Doubs. Quarterback Jordan Love now has four intriguing options in the passing game, with each possessing a different playing style.
The former Longhorns wideout brings some serious speed to Green Bay's offense. He proved just how fast he is after recording an impressive 4.29-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
Before playing for Texas in 2024, Golden played at Houston for two seasons. His best year of his collegiate career was with the Longhorns; however, he ended last season with 58 receptions, 987 receiving yards, and nine receiving touchdowns. His nine touchdown grabs led the entire SEC in that category.
With a new wide receiver on the roster, the Packers may focus elsewhere in the remainder of the draft. Green Bay owns picks 54 (second round) and 87 (third round) on Day 2 of the draft. It's not clear what direction the front office will go, but at least the club found a wide receiver they like in Golden.
