Green Bay Packers rookie Matthew Golden appears ready to receive a major contributing role in his debut, especially with the team’s current injury situation.
Fellow receiver Christian Watson is continuing his recovery from the torn ACL he suffered in January.
The No. 23 pick out of Texas has already displayed his impressive speed and talents during college and pre-draft workouts. He’s also participated in Packers minicamp, as he gets to know his teammates, including quarterback Jordan Love, on the field.
How the Pacers Flipped the Finals Script in One NightHow the Pacers Flipped the Finals Script in One Night
With the season still weeks away, it allows for those popular early comparisons to occur. Most of the rookies in the first round are getting compared to other NFL stars, including Golden.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden (22) catches the ball during minicamp.
© Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Fox Sports’ NFL Draft analyst Rob Rang shared which franchise star in the league a member of each team could compare to. For Golden, he received high praise, drawing comparisons to former Packers receiver Davante Adams.
Adams is a six-time Pro Bowler, with two of those coming during two seasons in Green Bay. Now a member of the Las Vegas Raiders, Adams continues to rack up stats and achieve accolades that should put him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In his career, he’s achieved over 100 touchdowns and nearly 12,000 receiving yards on 957 receptions. According to Pro Football Reference, his receiving yards total currently has him ranked at No. 33 amongst all receivers, past and present.
Rang contends that Golden appears to be the type of player who will provide Green Bay a suitable replacement for Adams. At March’s NFL Draft Combine, he recorded 4.29-second speed in the 40-yard dash.
That should give him the ability to shed defenders for Love’s passes all over the field. In addition, he provides a strong offensive threat as defenses focus more on stopping Josh Jacobs.
At Texas, Golden tallied college career highs with 58 receptions for 987 yards and nine touchdowns. The Packers are hoping he continues that success as a rookie and beyond.
As with most rookies, the games and time will tell the story with Golden’s development. However, he has veteran receivers around him to learn from, a solid quarterback, and a team that is hungry to succeed in the 2025 NFL season.
