NFL Draft 2025: Matthew Golden 40 Time, Bench Press, & Draft Projection

Matthew Golden ranked as one of the fastest players overall at the 2025 NFL Combine. Will his performance be enough to boost his draft stock and potentially be a first-round pick?

Matthew Golden NFL Player Profile

Matthew Golden was one of the most productive wide receivers in the nation in 2024. After transferring from the University of Houston after the 2023 campaign, he latched on with the Texas Longhorns for his final collegiate season, and was able to elevate his draft status with his performance. Golden caught 58 passes this past season, coming up just 13 yards shy of 1,000. He finished tied for the SEC lead with 9 receiving touchdowns, but was considered to be, at best, a mid-to-late second round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Given his smaller size, there were questions about his overall athleticism heading into the draft process. But due to his performance in the Combine this past weekend, some of those issues may be able to be put to rest. There was only one player in the entire event, regardless of position, that ran a faster 40-yard dash, and he showcased his talents in pass-catching drills that apparently turned the heads of scouts in attendance.

Golden certainly helped boost his draft stock with his performance in Indianapolis, and some believe that he could even challenge Tetairoa McMillan for the right to be the first wide receiver selected in the upcoming draft.

Blessed to have the opportunity to be at the 2025 NFL Combine 🙏🏾. pic.twitter.com/G7bj9QGyxf

— Matthew Golden (@MatthewGolden_) March 3, 2025

2025 NFL Combine Results

40-Yard Dash

There was no one faster at his position this year. Of the 39 wide receivers that participated in the 40-yard dash in 2025, Golden posted the best time. He was clocked at 4.29 seconds, which was the second-best time of any player at any position this year, just a hundredth of a second off of the pace set by defensive back prospect Maxwell Hairston. It ranks as the 8th-fastest time ever clocked by a wide receiver in the NFL Combine, better than Darrius Heyward-Bey and just slightly slower than Jacoby Ford.

10-Yard Split

In the exercise that measures acceleration and “get off” time, no one performed better than Matthew Golden. He posted a mark of 1.49 in the 10-yard split, which was on par with fellow wideout Jalen Royals of Utah State. There were five total players across all positions that posted the exact same number, all of which tied for the best mark of the weekend.

Matthew Golden 2025 Draft Projection

There may be some teams that are turned away by him being on the smaller side physically, but his speed and other traits could make up for any shortcomings in that department. There are draft analysts who believe that Golden is now a first-round talent, and some who are saying that he could even challenge McMillan for the right to be the first WR picked this year.

Plenty will be riding on the performance of both players at their respective and upcoming Pro Days held at their universities.

Prediction: Round 2, 38th overall pick – New England Patriots