Matthew Golden 2025 NFL Draft & Dynasty Profile
Matthew Golden 2025 NFL Draft & Dynasty Profile
- Position: WR
- School: Texas
- Class: Junior
- Date of Birth: August 1, 2003
- Height: 6-0
- Weight: 195 lbs
Matthew Golden Bio
Matthew Golden competed in both football and track & field at Klein Cain High School near Houston, Texas. There, he was first-team all-district as well as the district’s Special Teams Player of the Year as a junior. He followed that up with all-state honors in his senior season on his way to a four-star rating in the recruiting class of 2022. Despite receiving offers from schools like Arkansas, Cincinnati, Colorado, TCU, LSU, Pitt, and Texas, Golden opted to sign on with the Houston Cougars.
Golden was immediately installed as a key member of the receiving corps, catching balls for 584 yards and a school freshman record seven touchdowns. He followed that up with similar numbers in 2023, while adding more than 300 kick return yards and two kickoffs taken back for touchdowns. A foot injury kept him out for the final three games, effectively ending his Houston career as he entered the transfer portal after the season.
Golden was a coveted prospect with a four-star transfer rating. He ultimately chose the University of Texas. Golden teamed up with Alabama transfer Isaiah Bond as they set out to replace Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell in the Longhorns offense. Golden started all 16 games and was a key piece in Texas’ playoff run. He ended the season with 58 receptions for 987 yards and nine touchdowns while continuing his contributions in the return game, averaging more than 20 yards per kick return.
Golden opted to forgo his final season of eligibility and enter the 2025 NFL Draft.
College Stats
Matthew Golden college stats courtesy of sports-reference
Positives
- Alignment Versatility
- Route Running
- Ball Tracking
- Body Control
- Variety of release packages
- Catch in traffic/contested catches
- 28 career kick returns
Negatives
- Underwhelming production across three seasons
- No breakout age
- 3.6 receptions per game (2024)
- 1.82 yards per team pass attempt (2024)
- 22.3% Dominator Rating (2024)
Highlight Reel
Archetype: Possession WR
NFL Comp: John Metchie
Performance Score: Coming Soon
Draft Projection: Late First/Early Second
NFL Draft & Dynasty Outlook:
Matthew Golden is a versatile wide receiver who can line up out wide as well as kick inside to the slot. He has the speed and explosion to make plays vertically, plus the route running and quick separation to work the short and intermediate areas of the field. He’s a good route runner with a diverse array of routes in his arsenal. He has no fear operating in the middle of the field and actually thrives in traffic and in contested catch situations. Golden is excellent at tracking the football and he has the hands and body control to make the difficult catches look easy. He has the tools to gain a few additional yards after the catch as well.
At the line, Golden will utilize multiple different release packages throughout a game, keeping cornerbacks on their toes and creating that quick separation. He then uses his quickness and burst, plus detailed route running to get open for his quarterback.
Golden’s skills translate to the kicking game as well, where he’s had success going all the way back to his high school days. He combined for more than 700 return yards with two touchdowns during his three year college career. That’s something NFL teams will appreciate when they’re making their decisions on draft weekend.
Speaking of the NFL, Matthew Golden projects as a complimentary weapon at the next level. He will compete for a team’s No. 2 or No. 3 wide receiver job. His versatility to line up at any position and to fill any receiver role in an offense will certainly give him a leg up. He’ll be a guy who takes snaps in the slot, at Z, and even at X. He’ll be used in motion before the snap, he’ll catch screen passes, long passes, short passes, etc.
Golden may never be a mega-producer or a true WR1, but he will certainly add a ton of value to an NFL team. That is going to help push him up draft boards—possibly even into the back of the first round. However, we have to be cautious as fantasy gamers. His role may not fully translate to reliable high-end fantasy production. He wasn’t exactly the most productive player at the college level, after all. He could be a rotational player who is great for his real life team but not our fantasy teams. With that said, some analysts are going to push him high up the dynasty rankings anyway. Just be careful not to draft him too early.
NEXT: Dylan Sampson 2025 NFL Draft & Dynasty Profile
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