Matthew Golden clocked 987 yards in his final year at Texas, and if you think an extra 13 yards would have changed his entire NFL outlook, then you've officially missed the whole point. There are a ton of people online who were ready to call Golden a bust before he even suited up, and frankly, some of the statistical arguments just do not hold up.
Those College Yard Sticklers Are Missing The Point
Forget the chatter about Golden only hitting six or more targets per game once, way back in his high school senior season. Some folks, like John Byrne, bring up how few first-round wide receivers since 2015 failed to hit 1,000 receiving yards in college, listing Kadarius Toney, Henry Ruggs, and Golden. Sure, Golden was at 987 yards at Texas at age 21. But come on, would an additional 13 yards suddenly make him a lock? Julio Jones, a certified legend, didn't crack 1,000 yards until his third year at Alabama, where he hit 1,133. That was a while ago, yeah, but the sentiment holds. Then there's Emeka Egbuka, who bagged over 1,000 yards in two of his four college seasons, with totals of 1,151 and 1,011, and he's even a year older than Golden. Is that inherently better because he did it twice instead of once in three years? Or worse because of his age? Nobody really knows. Here’s the kicker though: Chris Olave, drafted 11th overall in 2022, never hit 1,000 yards in four seasons at Ohio State, maxing out at 936 yards on 65 receptions in his senior year. Stats are just numbers; they don't tell the whole story.Rookie Snaps Don't Tell The Whole Story, Period.
It gets even wilder when you look at rookie offensive snaps. Bryan Knowles, in the FTN Almanac, noted there are only six first-round receivers since 2011 who played less than Golden in their first years without a PUP or IR stint. Think about it: AJ Jenkins (35 snaps), Laquon Treadwell (80), Phillip Dorsett (211), Kadarius Toney (301), Tavon Austin (423), and Cordarrelle Patterson (436). Matthew Golden played 452 snaps. While Scott Spratt highlighted this list as "technically correct," it doesn't doom Golden. The implication that more snaps automatically equals success, or fewer equals failure, is just too simple for the NFL. So, what's next for Matthew Golden? The numbers get thrown around, the "bust" labels get tossed out, but the dude is on the field. He's got a chance to write his own story, not just live up to some pre-draft projection or rookie snap count. The real test is coming, and it's on him to make those college stats and rookie snaps irrelevant. Green Bay fans better hope he does, because there’s more to a player than just a stat sheet.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.