The Green Bay Packers finally drafted a wide receiver in the first round, and they waited until the draft was in Green Bay to create the special moment. The Packers used the 23rd-overall pick to select speedster Matthew Golden, adding him to a talented young offense. Experts believe Golden will quickly prove why he was worth a first-round selection for the franchise that rarely takes wideouts in the top 32 picks.
In a recent ESPN piece, several analysts were asked to make bold predictions about the 2025 rookie class. Fantasy football writer Eric Moody decided to bet on Golden, predicting the Packers’ receiver will lead all rookies in receiving yards in 2025.
"Green Bay wideout Matthew Golden will lead all rookies in receiving yards. I think Golden will outshine Hunter and Tetairoa McMillan in the 2025 season. It's rare for the Packers to take a wide receiver in the first round, and Golden finds himself in an ideal situation with rising quarterback Jordan Love and offensive-minded coach Matt LaFleur. Could Golden be the 2025 version of Brian Thomas Jr.?"Eric Moody (ESPN)
Matthew Golden predicted to lead all rookies in receiving yards
Golden was the fourth receiver taken in the draft, but as Moody pointed out, that doesn’t always equate to year-one, or career, production. Sports are all about the situation you end up in, and Golden has landed in an environment that should lead to immediate production if he can deliver like a first-round pick.
The Packers have a productive run game with Josh Jacobs in the backfield, and a talented quarterback in Jordan Love. Additionally, Green Bay already has a few other talented young receivers, so Golden won’t be asked to carry an entire receiving room. Instead, he’ll be asked to contribute in a role that was previously held by Christian Watson, who is expected to miss significant time in 2025 because of a knee injury.
All of those factors create a situation where Golden can hit the ground running in Green Bay. Of course, he runs a 4.29 40-yard dash, so he should be able to get where he’s going quickly. Time will tell if that destination is leading his fellow rookies in receiving yards.