At NFL draft, Green Bay Packers take first round wide receiver for first time in decades

For the first time since 2002, the Green Bay Packers have selected a wide receiver in the first round of the NFL draft.

Packers President Mark Murphy announced the team’s pick of Texas receiver Matthew Golden in front of thousands of fans gathered in the Lambeau Field parking lot Thursday night. Golden was the 23rd overall pick in the draft.

ESPN draft analyst Steve Muench had Golden listed as the second best receiver in this draft class, praising the rookie for his route running and explosiveness off the line.

“He plucks the ball, makes the first defender miss and explodes upfield after the catch,” Muench wrote in his pre-draft analysis.

According to the NFL, 205,000 fans attended the first night of the three-day event.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who made opening remarks shortly after 7 p.m., received boos from the crowd when he took the stage at the NFL draft theater. But after complimenting Green Bay, the boos in the northeast corner of the Lambeau Field parking lot transformed into chants of “Go Pack Go.” 

Tyler Schram, a Packers fan from Ashwaubenon, said seeing his team pick a wide receiver in the first round for the first time in more than 20 years was “unbelievable.” 

“For it to actually happen on the biggest stage in Green Bay, Wisconsin means the world to the fans,” Schram said.

The last wide receiver selected by Green Bay in the first round was Javon Walker, who played four seasons for the Packers and earned Pro Bowl honors in one of those seasons. 

It comes after a season in which former second round wide receiver Christian Watson tore his ACL. Watson is expected to miss a significant chunk of time in the 2025 season. 

Milwaukee resident Casey Holtz is a Packers fan who was born in Appleton. After Golden was selected by Green Bay, Holtz said he loved the pick.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for [an] explosive offense,” Holtz said. “I think it’s great to have more weapons. It’s been a long time coming, given our good quarterbacks.”

On a call with Packers beat writers after he was selected, Golden said he visited Green Bay during the draft process and called it a “blessing” to be the first first-round wide receiver selected by the team in more than 20 years. 

“I had a good relationship with them when I came up here on my visit,” he said. “I got around the coaching staff. I [saw] how the culture was around here, and I enjoyed it.”