The Green Bay Packers headed into the 2025 NFL Draft in an intriguing position regarding team needs. General manager Brian Gutekunst had built a roster without any urgent, high-priority holes. However, there were still several positions with clear areas for improvement that needed to be addressed, starting with Thursday night’s first round. This included reaffirming their belief in quarterback Jordan Love.
For this, they broke a 23-year streak by drafting a wide receiver in the first round. They doubled down on offense by selecting a hefty 336-pound offensive tackle from North Carolina State. Many saw this pick as a surprise, even a reach. But one thing is certain: the Packers are going all in on building their offense for the future.
This Thursday, Rob Demovsky dropped two pretty exciting updates for Packers fans. First up, “Packers draft picks: Round 1️⃣ — No. 2️⃣3️⃣ overall: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas. The streak is over. This is the first receiver the Packers have taken in the first round since 2002.” Honestly, picking Matthew Golden in Round 1 was kinda unexpected for Green Bay. They’ve usually steered clear of using such a high pick on a wide receiver. But hey, upgrading the WR room was definitely overdue. And props to GM Brian Gutekunst and his crew for finally making that move.
Then Rob shared another gem: “Round 2️⃣ — No. 5️⃣4️⃣ overall: Anthony Belton, OT, NC State. This is just the second time since 2012 that the Packers have gone with offense for their first two picks.” So, after snagging Golden, they doubled down on offense by grabbing Anthony Belton, an offensive tackle from NC State, with pick 54 in the 2025 draft.
Packers draft picks
Round 1️⃣ — No: 2️⃣3️⃣ overall: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas.
The streak is over. First receiver the Packers have taken in the first round since 2002.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) April 25, 2025
Belton’s a big dude—6’6″, 326 pounds—and he wasn’t even ranked coming out of high school in 2019. He spent a couple of years at Georgia Military College before transferring to NC State, where he started 32 games at left tackle and earned Third-Team All-ACC honors in 2023. Scouts note that he can be inconsistent due to slower footwork, but with his massive frame and nearly 34-inch arms, he’s one of the more intriguing offensive line prospects in this year’s draft.
In 2024, he put up an impressive 87.2 pass-blocking grade over 741 snaps and an overall grade of 73.6. So yeah, both of these picks seem like they’re setting things up nicely for Jordan Love’s future in Green Bay. It’s still unclear how much support Matthew will provide to Jordan, but right after joining the team, he had a clear message for Jordan Love.
Matthew Golden sends a strong message to Jordan Love post-Packers draft
O͏n Thur͏sd͏ay night, the G͏reen Bay Pa͏cker͏s made a move t͏hey hadn’t made in over two͏ de͏ca͏des. The Packers selected wide receiver Matthew Golden from the University of Texas with the 23rd overall pick. It was their first first-round wideout since Javon Walker in 2002.
Fans are hoping Golden can inject some energy and big plays into the Packers’ passing game, especially with veteran Christian Watson still recovering from the ACL tear he suffered in Week 18 last season. Known for his blazing 4.29-second 40-yard dash speed, Golden is versatile enough to line up at any receiver position.
During draft night, Golden expressed his excitement about playing with Jordan Love, praising him as a talented quarterback who can scramble and throw with precision. He assured Love that he’s a dependable target. “Talented quarterback who can get out of the pocket and make plays—and can damn sure throw the ball,” Golden said (h/t Ryan Wood of USA TODAY). “I’m going to let him know as soon as I see him, ‘You’ve got a reliable target. You can trust me.’” Naturally, this declaration thrilled Packers fans, who see Golden as a potential WR1 capable of bringing back the explosive playmaking they’ve missed in Watson’s absence.
In his final season at Texas, Golden posted impressive numbers—58 catches for 987 yards and nine touchdowns. His average? A career-high 17 yards per reception, which ranked 12th in the SEC. While many expected the Packers to bolster their defensive line in the first round, fate had other plans. The perfect opportunity arose to enhance their aerial attack and potentially take it to new heights in 2025.
For Jordan Love, having targets like Golden, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, and Dontayvion Wicks must feel like a dream come true heading into the new season. Golden’s speed is set to stretch defenses. And hence create openings for Reed, Doubs, and tight end Tucker Kraft to feast on underneath routes. A new chapter is unfolding for the Packers’ offense with these exciting young weapons. But what lies ahead for their ground game remains a tantalizing mystery.