NFL Draft analysts can't agree on Matthew Golden's ceiling, and the debate over his Packers future is just getting started

There are two ways of perceiving what the Green Bay Packers did in the first round of the draft.

With Tetairoa McMillan and Emeka Egbuka off the board, general manager Brian Gutekunst still went wide receiver for the first time with his first choice to select Matthew Golden over Luther Burden IIIwho ended up on the Chicago Bears in the second round.

NFL Draft analysts for A to Z Sports, Joe DeLeone and Ryan Roberts had a great pre-draft discussion about what Golden can become in the NFL, and what the offensive weapon actually does on the field will answer these question marks.

Joe DeLeone thinks, excluding two-way player Travis Hunter from the consideration, Matthew Golden was the best wide receiver prospect of the 2025 class due to his route-running ability and strong hands.

Those were ultimately the reasons why the Packers took him.

"Matthew Golden has proven he's the real best wide receiver in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The reason why I like him as my top receiver over Luther Burden and Tetairoa McMillan is because, in a year with so many question marks for the other guys in that discussion, I feel like I want to go with the player who's the most well-balanced.

You talked about the route running, his handshe's been able to make some unbelievable catches, and I think it's one of the most underrated parts of his game.

But Tetairoa McMillan, we talked on this channelwe're worried about the separation.

Luther Burdenwe worried a little bit about why he suddenly had this massive drop-off in production.

"So if I'm going with somebody who I could trust to be a really good second receiver in my offense, I'd rather go with that than go for the boom-or-bust of taking McMillan or Burden and them not panning out." Joe DeLeone.

Meanwhile, Ryan Roberts thinks Golden has a limited ceiling.

The analyst sees a high-floor player who can be a productive complementary piece for an offense, but he would like a player with more chances of becoming a true elite weapon in the first round.

"I couldn't be further out on that take.

I understand that we're going to hyperfocus on the 4.29 (Golden's 40-yard time), which is an incredible numberI think it was actually 4.28 officialbut when I watch Matthew Golden's film this past year at Texas, I see a great route runner, I see some really good hands, I see nuance.

But if you're telling me that that's a 4.2 athlete on film, I completely disagree.

I'm the complete opposite in this conversation.

If I'm talking about a kid's potential as a first-roundera guy that I am going to draft to be my dude, my go-to pass catcher in an offenseI want a guy that has a ceiling that I can hope to reach towards.

"I understand the allure of a player like Matthew Golden.

He does bring a really good floor to the table.

I could see him being a very solid No.

2, plus wide receiver 2 in an offense.

But there is a world where a player like Luther Burden out of Missouri becomes the go-to option in an offense, and I am much more wanting to bank on that type of player early than I am to draft somebody like Matthew Golden and the style that he brings to the table." Ryan Roberts.

In terms of physical traits, Burden would have been a more Packers-y style of selectionespecially because the offense theoretically needed an X receiver.

Golden is shorter, and even though the Packers intend to use him outside, he's more of a Z receiver who will have to play opposite Romeo Doubs in 2025.

This wasn't a big concern for the front office, though.

Gutekunst thinks that getting a talented player on the roster is enough, and head coach Matt LaFleur will do the rest.

"With the way Matt (LaFleur) and his staff are able to be creative and use these guys, that gives me a lot of flexibility with what I'm looking at too," Gutekunst said right after the first round.

"They do such a good job of scheming some of these guys up, and using them to their best ability.

It does make it easier for me.

So we don't feel like we have to do this, or we have to do that.

Matt and his staff will find a way to make these guys productive and fit them into what they're trying to do.

The guys on our offensive staff are pretty fired up right now." Now, it's prove-it time for Matthew Golden.

If he can become a true number one weapon for the Packers, the ceiling of the entire offseason gets much higher.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission..

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