2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Matthew Golden (WR – Texas)

FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL Draft scouting reports before the Combine in March. Here’s a look at Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden. And check out our entire 2025 NFL Draft Guide.

2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Matthew Golden

Matthew Golden (WR – Texas)

6-foot-0 | 195 Pounds

Background

Matthe Golden is a Houston native who originally attended Houston, starting eight out of 11 games played as a freshman in 2022 and catching 38-584-7 (15.4). Followed that up with a line of 38-404-6 (10.6) over nine games in 2023. He then transferred to Texas, where he posted a line of 58-987-9 (17.0) this year before declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft

Positives

Three-year starter who established himself as Texas’ leading receiver this season and enjoyed his best campaign. Primarily a flanker but gets frequently moved around the formation, taking snaps both outside and inside, on and behind the line of scrimmage and occasionally from motion. Shows good suddenness and some violence in his hands to release against press coverage; often uses stutter steps to release.

Golden possesses very good acceleration to eat up cushions against off-coverage, and was an effective deep threat this past season. Runs a variety of routes to different levels of the field, and is willing to work the middle; there are a lot of hooks, in/out-routes, hitches, overs and other patterns of that nature on his tape.

Looks good at the route stem, with consistent hip sink and some snap; moreover, doesn’t have to shift down much into and out of his breaks. Knows how to use tempo changes to freeze defenders and create windows. Shows some ability to improvise and get open when the play breaks down. Flexibility allows him to adjust to throws away from his frame, with good concentration and toughness when working over the middle.

Awareness and footwork near the sidelines are impressive. Caught just under half of his career targets in traffic, per Pro Football Focus (PFF), and 11/18 (61.1%) this past year. Golden is competitive after the catch, fighting for additional yardage. Shows good effort as a blocker to work through contact. Was a dangerous kick returner at Houston.

Negatives

Size and length are closer to average. Susceptible to getting his routes disrupted by physicality, lacking ideal contact balance. He may struggle against physical jams at the next level. Runs himself into coverage at times when working against zone.

Golden doesn’t present the widest catch radius. Cut down on drops this year, but has had some issues in the past. Might struggle to replicate his junior-year success in contested-catch situations, as he’s not the most powerfully built receiver. Not the most dynamic player after the catch. Lets opponents into his frame when blocking and could play with more consistent extension.

Summary

Perhaps not the sexiest wide receiver prospect in this year’s class, Golden is not the biggest or strongest player, but he possesses a well-rounded game with good suddenness, acceleration, flexibility and route-running chops.

Golden’s hip-sink, snap and speed through the route stem create separation for timing-based throws on different patterns and at different levels of the field, which anticipatory quarterbacks will appreciate. Looks like a relatively high-floor, technically refined flanker who is getting a lot of early-round hype.

Projection: Round 2

Check out all of our 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Reports

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Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona)

A very big, smooth, savvy receiver with an incredible catch radius and a graceful game, McMillan established himself as one of the best wide receivers in college football over the past two seasons. May never be the fastest or most explosive wide receiver, but has a great understanding of how to use tempo, nuance and technique to create separation.

Is capable of coming down with contested catches even in tight coverage, with rare size that makes him a mismatch for most cornerbacks. May not have quite the same strength and physicality as Mike Evans did coming out, but is a similar prospect and should go similarly high in the first round, likely within the first five or 10 picks.

Projection: Round 1

Check out the full 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Tetairoa McMillan

Luther Burden III (Missouri)

A dynamic player with the ball in his hands, Burden’s combination of speed, quickness, vision, balance and physicality led the Tigers to scheme up ways to get him the ball, whether on underneath throws, sweeps, screens or otherwise. He also offers some impressive traits as a receiver, with good stop-start quickness to create separation, impressive tracking and body control and a strong pair of hands.

As it currently stands, he doesn’t have a ton of recent experience playing outside and will need to continue diversifying his route tree and polishing his route-running technique, but that doesn’t look like it will stop him from being a first-round pick.

Projection: Round 1

Check out the full 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Luther Burden III

Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State)

Another highly-polished Buckeyes receiver prospect, Egbuka’s excellent combination of acceleration, quickness, route-running savvy, hands and toughness should make him a highly reliable pro receiver.

Likely would have been a first-round pick last year had he stayed healthy. Coming back to put together the season he did gives him a very good chance of going there this year if everything checks out medically during the pre-draft process. A nice reliable, pro-ready big slot option.

Projection: Round 1

Check out the full 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Emeka Egbuka

More 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Reports for Wide Receivers