{"id":211818,"date":"2025-01-22T10:00:38","date_gmt":"2025-01-22T15:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=211818"},"modified":"2025-03-06T13:39:36","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T18:39:36","slug":"2025-nfl-draft-early-scouting-report-matthew-golden-texas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2025\/01\/22\/2025-nfl-draft-early-scouting-report-matthew-golden-texas\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 NFL Draft Early Scouting Report: Matthew Golden, Texas"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Matthew Golden blossomed into the best wide receiver in Texas with a massive 2024 campaign and is expected to be a top pick in the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2024\/12\/11\/defensive-nfl-draft-risers-in-2024-conference-championships\/\" target=\"_self\">2025 NFL Draft<\/a>. Here is an <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2025\/01\/20\/2025-nfl-draft-early-scouting-report-nick-emmanwori-south-carolina\/\" target=\"_self\">Early Scouting Report<\/a> for the crafty Longhorn.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Measurables:<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u20226-foot-flat<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u2022195 pounds<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u2022True Junior<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Matthew Golden Scouting Report - 2025 NFL Draft &amp; Dynasty Fantasy Outlook\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/29lpip2_7Wk?list=PLXSEfI44epCSPsLhm8jj2KUURJ_iZ5b0r\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"s1\">Overview And Film Analysis Of 2025 NFL Draft Prospect And Texas WR Matthew Golden \u2014 An Explosive, Versatile Offensive Weapon.<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Player Background:<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Matthew Golden was a four-star recruit out of Klein Cain High School in Houston, Texas. He earned all-state and all-district honors for three seasons, serving as the team\u2019s top wide receiver and a special teams ace, while also competing on the track &amp; field squad.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Golden initially committed to his hometown Houston Cougars, where he\u2019d post respectable numbers in the 2022 and 2023 campaigns. Ahead of his junior season, the shifty wideout transferred to Texas to play for <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2024\/09\/24\/sarkisian-updates-on-manning-and-ewers\/\" target=\"_self\">head coach Steve Sarkisian.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">With the Longhorns, Golden quickly became quarterback Quinn Ewers\u2019 most-trusted target, racking up 58 receptions, 987 yards, and nine touchdowns, en route to a <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.cbssports.com\/college-football\/news\/college-football-playoff-bracket-schedule-scores-dates-teams-national-championship-game-kickoff-time\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">College Football Playoff<\/a> appearance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Now, Golden has declared for the 2025 NFL Draft and several scouts are tabbing him as a top wide receiver in the class, with many expecting to hear his name called early in the event.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Strengths\/Pros:<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Golden, thanks to his multi-sport background, exhibits legitimate track star speed on the gridiron. His top gear is as good as any in the 2025 NFL Draft, and he\u2019s more than just a linear athlete.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The 195-pound dynamo is shifty with the ball in his hands, which creates natural yards after the catch opportunities. Perhaps more impressive is his movement as a route runner. Golden showcases phenomenal footwork and knows how to shake free from defenders. He\u2019s especially lethal with a free release.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">For a player who isn\u2019t the most physically dominant in terms of size, Golden is extremely competitive at the catch point. He has strong, vice-grip-like hands and displays picture-perfect form as a catcher, never allowing the football to travel into his chest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">As such, Golden lined up primarily as the X-receiver on the boundary for Texas and rarely looked outmatched by bigger defensive backs. Although his highest upside could be in the slot in the NFL, he is capable of lining up anywhere.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Weaknesses\/Cons:<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">While size wasn\u2019t much of a knock on Golden in college, it\u2019s impossible to deny how different the nature of the game is on Sundays. He\u2019s likely a shade under the listed 6-foot and doesn\u2019t have the longest arms in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">There were a few instances of Golden getting jammed off the line of scrimmage, and it essentially took him out of the play by knocking him off his route. It\u2019s fair to wonder how well his contested catch ability will translate to the NFL, as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Concentration drops pop up occasionally on tape, but it\u2019s an easily fixable issue, as Golden\u2019s form is top-notch. He just gets ahead of himself before securing the pass because he\u2019s so eager to create yardage after the catch.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Potential Team Fits:<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u2022<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/steelers\/\" target=\"_self\">Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u2022<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/chargers\/\" target=\"_self\">Los Angeles Chargers<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u2022<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/panthers\/\" target=\"_self\">Carolina Panthers<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u2022<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/cowboys\/\" target=\"_self\">Dallas Cowboys<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u2022<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/dolphins\/\" target=\"_self\">Miami Dolphins<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">NFL Projection:<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Matthew Golden is an instant-impact player for any wide receiver-needy team. He can line up on the boundary, but to maximize his ceiling, an NFL team should be willing to move Golden all around the field.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">He would thrive opposite an established wideout early in his career, although it wouldn\u2019t be surprising to see Golden drafted as a team\u2019s WR1. The Texas star is a model teammate and boasts a remarkable work ethic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Size concerns keep Golden from claiming the top wide receiver spot in the 2025 NFL Draft, but he should still come off the board on day one of the event.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Prospect Grade:<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u2022Late 1st Round<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Film Exposures:<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u2022Texas (2023) \u2014 As Member Of Houston<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u2022Florida (2024)<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u2022Arizona State (2024)<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u2022Georgia (2024)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>Main Image: Sara Diggins &#8211; USA Today Sports<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Matthew Golden blossomed into a top target in the 2025 NFL Draft after transferring to Texas. This Early Scouting Report explains how.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5421,"featured_media":211890,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1647],"tags":[33197,2345],"class_list":["post-211818","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-draft","tag-matthew-golden","tag-texas-longhorns"],"modified_by":"David Latham, Managing Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211818","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5421"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=211818"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211818\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":221040,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211818\/revisions\/221040"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/211890"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=211818"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=211818"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=211818"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}