“This guy’s been through some things now, in this young life, and he’s come out the other side.”
In his press conference following the first round of the draft, it was palpable that Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst was excited about what Texas receiver Matthew Golden can bring to his program. As a person, Gutekunst noted that Golden is an “authentic and genuine” person who “loves football.” He also mentioned the adversity that Golden has faced in the past, stating, “This guy’s been through some things now, in this young life, and he’s come out the other side.”
Whether this is what Gutekunst was referring to or not, Golden said after his selection that he plans on buying his grandmother’s previous home, which the family lost at some point due to financial struggle. Hopefully, Golden can do just that.
When Gutekunst was asked about Golden’s size, at 5’11”, the general manager stated that Golden was well over the Mendoza Line for the position, though players on the smaller side usually have to have an elite trait. According to Gutekunst, Golden’s elite trait is speed, which was clocked in at 4.29 seconds over 40 yards at the NFL Scouting Combine, second to only Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston.
Gutekunst believes that Golden can contribute both as a receiver and as a punt returner in 2025, though he stated that he did like his receiver room coming into the week and that he didn’t believe that the team needed to address the position early on in the draft. Fans, some of whom question how the Packers’ offense would stretch the field without Christian Watson, probably disagree.
— Justis Mosqueda (@JuMosq) April 6, 2025
The general manager also praised Golden’s hands, calling them some of the best in the class. If you want some examples of speed and hands, watch the video above, which includes plenty of underthrown balls from Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers to Golden over the 2024 season.
Gutekunst said that teams were trying to trade up to their selection in the first round, but he wouldn’t state whether or not the New York Giants or Philadelphia Eagles were among them. Ultimately, the team decided that taking Golden, who visited the Packers this offseason, was a better option than whatever offers they received to trade out of the pick.