Texas' fastest playmaker becomes top-rated prospect on Daniel Jeremiah's Big Board
The meteoric rise of Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden just hit a new high. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah is one of the most respected analysts in the sport, and his Big Board drops are a thing to watch since it reflects how the league is thinking. This week, Jeremiah moved Golden into his top receiver […]
The meteoric rise of Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden just hit a new high. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah is one of the most respected analysts in the sport, and his Big Board drops are a thing to watch since it reflects how the league is thinking.
This week, Jeremiah moved Golden into his top receiver spot. Golden has won big from the College Football Playoff and NFL Combine process. His 4.3 40-yard dash boosted his stock even more.
Here's what Jeremiah wrote about Golden, ranked 15th on his board.
Golden has average size, but he plays with tremendous polish, instincts and toughness. He spends a lot of time operating out of the slot. He can defeat press coverage with quickness or strength. He understands how to tempo routes and sets up defenders down the field. He can change gears when the ball goes up and he tracks it naturally. He does a nice job of staying grounded through the catch when working on crossers. He has the utmost confidence in his ball skills. After the catch, he is very strong/sturdy to pull through tackles and he can make defenders miss in space. I love his temperament on the field — he plays with an edge. Overall, Golden doesn’t have dynamic traits, but he’s a natural football player and a quarterback’s best friend. He’s dependable.
One of our writers mocked Golden as high as 12th overall to the Dallas Cowboys recently, and that was the first time I had seen that connection.
With nearly 70% of his targets converted to catches, Golden showcased his versatility, smooth route-running skills, after-the-catch abilities, speed, and reliability in contested situations. He represents a high-value asset who can make immediate contributions to any offense.
Golden's exceptional route-running and ability to generate separation are rooted in his excellent footwork and meticulous attention to detail.
His nuanced movements enhance his athleticism. He has shown explosiveness in his gameplay, recording 26 forced missed tackles against only 14 drops over 202 targets throughout three seasons.
His reliability and productivity have remained consistent regardless of his role or the offensive scheme, and his time at Texas saw him operating out of the slot more frequently than before.
