Longhorns looking for new top receiver in 2025 now that Matthew Golden makes stunning decision about his future
It was a longshot hope that he’d stay, but Texas will have to find a new No. 1 receiver for 2025. Matthew Golden, the go-to touchdown machine in critical moments this season, has declared for the NFL Draft, according to ESPN. The Houston transfer fell 25 receiving yards short of 2,000 for his three-year collegiate […]
It was a longshot hope that he’d stay, but Texas will have to find a new No. 1 receiver for 2025.
Matthew Golden, the go-to touchdown machine in critical moments this season, has declared for the NFL Draft, according to ESPN.
The Houston transfer fell 25 receiving yards short of 2,000 for his three-year collegiate career. Golden had 987 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in his only season with the Longhorns.
To Texas fans, Golden will forever be the one who hauled in a critical fourth-and-13 touchdown pass against Arizona State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Golden then caught the two-point conversion afterward.
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Golden’s two biggest games came in the postseason. He had eight catches for 162 yards against Georgia in the SEC championship game. Then, he made seven catches for 149 yards and the score against the Sun Devils.
It’s worth remembering how well quarterback Quinn Ewers and Golden ran a specific touchdown play on the goal line against Arkansas. Golden ran a short out route, shielded off the defender with his body and caught a dart from Ewers.
That play might have been useful at the 1-yard line against Ohio State.
“Every Friday night, we meet or I tell coach Sark what players I like in certain areas,” Ewers said after the Arkansas game. “And I tell you what, that’s always one of the plays that I really like to like to run. So I was fired up when he called it. You know, every time I he calls it, I'm thinking touchdown all the time.
“All I got to do is put a good ball to Matt, and he’s pretty much going to come down with it every single time.”
At least NFL teams know that Golden can catch it. Throwing it isn’t his style.
Golden had one of the season’s lighter moments when he attempted two trick plays against Oklahoma. The first receiver pass was a total duck. Coach Steve Sarkisian gave Golden another chance, and the second one was completed for 30 yards.
“That first one, man, I ain’t got too much say about that. I'll say it’s the glove,” Golden said the following Monday. “We practiced that the whole week, and I was on point. When it came to the game, it felt different. Obviously, it was a lot of people there and my adrenaline was going.”
His adrenaline will be pumping overtime now. NFL teams love fast receivers who make big catches in clutch moments. That’s what Golden did for the Horns. He can do it on Sundays, too.
