The Green Bay Packers were thrilled to take wide receiver Matthew Golden 23rd overall in the 2025 NFL draft. After transferring to Texas, the 6-foot, 195-pound target set career highs across the board: 58 catches, 987 yards and nine touchdowns. With Christian Watson likely out to begin the season as he recovers from an ACL injury, the Packers needed an extra body for Jordan Love to throw to. Even as a rookie, Golden should be able to run productive routes as a member of the receiving corps. One NFL analyst, however, is concerned that he might not have the upside to justify drafting him as high as the Packers did.
Will Matthew Golden Develop like the Green Bay Packers Hope He Will?
Speaking on his podcast, Chris Simms, son of quarterback Phil Simms and an NFL passer himself from 2004-09, shared his thoughts on Green Bay’s addition of Golden.
“There’s no, ‘Oh, we need him to be a star right now,'” Simms conceded. “We know they have guys at receiver.” And the Packers do, even with Watson injured. In addition to Golden, the receiving room features Jayden Reed, who led the team in receptions and yards in 2024 as a sophomore; a promising youngster in Dontayvion Wicks; Romeo Doubs; and Watson, a dynamic deep-ball threat, when he returns.
Although that is a solid group, of course, none projects to be a legitimate number one option, at least not next season. Where does Golden fit in the Packers’ plans?
What they’re looking for is a marquee guy at receiver, and that’s what they’re hoping they’re going to get from him. And that’s where I’m not sure about it. … It’s not just me. There’s a lot of people in football who were like, ‘Er, Matthew Golden in the first round?’
No Matter What, Chris Simms Still Likes Golden’s Floor
The Packers would be foolish to expect Golden to be Love’s top option in 2025, but it will be disappointing if he fails to demonstrate that kind of potential. In making him a first round selection, Green Bay bucked a 23-year trend of eschewing receivers on opening night of the draft. Even while questioning whether Golden can be a headliner, however, Simms does believe he will perform immediately in the NFL.
“I do think he’s a safe pick, that’s the first thing. We heard about it. [Texas coach Steve] Sarkisian told me, everybody’s kind of told me, he’s a professional, he works, he’s obsessed with the sport. There is physical ability that you can still tap into.”
On top of his impressive work ethic, Simms thinks Golden can grow his game by being more aggressive off the line of scrimmage and coming out of breaks on his routes.
He’s still very high-floor, with the possibility of getting a very high ceiling, and very much NFL-ready right now. So he can contribute to your team, he’s definitely going to be one of your three on the field, and he has a chance, if things go right, to where you go, ‘Huh…maybe he can be a star and a number one. But at the very worst, he’s one of our three for a while.’
Because of the Packers’ relative murkiness at receiver, with Reed looking like a solid number two but not a WR1, and uncertain futures for Watson and Doubs in Green Bay, adding Golden helps the roster in more ways than one.
“I think that’s what they went with,” Simms said. “They knew they needed to take a swing and get a hit at the receiver position because of Romeo Doubs’ situation, and Christian Watson’s situation, and what’s going on there. So we’ll see where it goes.”
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