Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden made headlines at the NFL Scouting Combine by posting a 4.29-second 40-yard dash.
Golden’s performance placed him as the second-fastest player at the NFL Combine behind only Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston, who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.28 seconds. He even outpaced teammate Isaiah Bond, who many considered the fastest player in the class before the event.
However, Golden, who never had a 1,000-yard season in college, has had his playing speed questioned by those who feel he may be a better athlete than receiver.
Matthew Golden Silences Criticism on ‘Playing Speed’ vs. Sprinting Speed
Golden’s speed wowed fans and scouts alike, though his critics still have found ammunition against the 21-year-old, criticizing his “field speed.”
“Matthew Golden doesn’t have 4.2 field speed, still a very good WR though. Xavier Restrepo was always seemingly open, plays like he has 4.5 field speed. 🚨 Stop leaning so heavily on track stats and actually watch them play🚨” said a fan on X.
As fast as he ran, Golden was even faster in responding, claiming that the Texas offense required more nuance out of him than just sprinting as fast as he could on go routes: “😂wasnt my job to run 4.2 in my offense bud.”
Golden took a huge jump in his first year with the Longhorns, posting career highs in receptions (58), receiving yards (987), and touchdowns (nine), the latter figure leading the SEC in 2024.
While he was WR1 in his lone season at Texas, he never produced the kinds of numbers NFL teams expect from their best playmakers.
MORE: 2025 NFL Draft Big Board
In the latest seven-round mock draft from PFSN’s Brentley Weissman, Golden is projected to go 12th overall to the Dallas Cowboys. He is one of just three true receiver prospects expected to go in the first round and the first one off the board. Most NFL Draft experts have Golden and Arizona product Tetairoa McMillan labeled as the draft’s top two wideouts, not including cornerback-receiver hybrid Travis Hunter.
Golden is a coordinated, intelligent route runner with impressive body control attacking the ball in the air. He doesn’t have an upper-echelon physical trait, but he’s a well-rounded target who should be a strong complementary starting receiver in the NFL.
In PFSN’s scouting report on Golden, NFL Draft analyst Joe DeLeone said, “In the 2025 NFL Draft, Matthew Golden is the most well-rounded receiver prospect. He combines fantastic athleticism with the ability to do all of the little things at a high enough level to carve out a role within an offense.”
“Matthew Golden likely will never emerge as a primary target in the NFL, but he’s balanced enough to be a fantastic WR2 or WR3 on a team,” DeLeone continued. “His ability to create consistent separation with his speed or quick feet makes him a reliable target. He also made a number of highlight-worthy catches in his final few games of the season.”
Perhaps if a team lets him cut loose on the field, Golden could regularly flash the speed he showed at the Combine. If that happens, he should have no problem emerging as one of the class’s best wide receivers.