The Jacksonville Jaguars are on pace to get a high pick in the 2025 NFL draft. It could be as high as the first overall, but they're trending toward getting the No. 4 or No. 5 selection. Either way, they'll be in a position to go after either Travis Hunter or Tetairoa McMillan. Both are intriguing prospects that would fill a massive need for the Jags, but if they want to address another position in the first round, they could then target Matthew Golden in the later rounds. Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report would nod in approval.
Sobleski recently put together a list of the top receiver prospects in next year's draft and their best landing spot. He believes the Jags would be a great fit for Golden, who's coming off a breakout season under Texas head coach Steven Sarkisian.
"Texas head coach/offensive play-caller Steven Sarkisian has a long history of placing players in the NFL, and the wide receiver has benefited tremendously from his coach's tutelage.
But the individual deserves plenty of credit. Golden was at his absolute best in the biggest game of the season. Despite The Longhorns' loss to the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game, the junior prospect caught eight passes for a career-high 162 yards.
The 21-year-old's stop-start ability allows him to create instant separation either in or out of his break. Golden is able to reach maximum speed within a step or two, which makes him a dangerous threat at all times."
Golden got the national spotlight with an amazing outing against Georgia in the SEC Championship, hauling in eight receptions for 162 yards. That said, he's far from a one-game wonder. Before transferring to Texas, the 2023 Second Team All-Big 12 posted a combined 76 receptions for 988 yards with 13 touchdowns in two seasons at Houston. For the Longhorns, he caught 43 receptions for 683 yards with eight trips to the end zone in 2024.
While it's hard to tell where exactly he'll land in the draft, the Houston, Texas native is trending toward being a top 100 pick, meaning that he could be selected in the third or fourth round. That would be a great spot for the Jaguars to take him.
Matthew Golden will be an intriguing choice for the Jaguars in the 2025 NFL Draft
There's no doubt that either Tetairoa McMillan or Travis Hunter (if he plays offense at the NFL level) would be great additions to Trevor Lawrence's arsenal of weapons. That said, the Jacksonville Jaguars may want to prioritize addressing other needs. On the other hand, they cannot pass up the chance to bolster their wide receiver corps.
Brian Thomas Jr., the 23rd overall selection in the 2024 draft, has exceeded expectations, breaking the team's record for receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in a season by a rookie. But as impressive as the former LSU Tiger has been this season, the Jags could use help at the position.
Christian Kirk suffered a season-ending injury for the second straight year and could be a cap casualty in 2025. Fellow receiver Gabe Davis also saw his season come to an end after suffering a knee injury. But even before he got hurt, he was struggling, so the Jaguars cannot dismiss the possibility of bolstering the wide receiver corps next year. Fortunately for them, they'll have plenty of ammo in the draft to carry out the task.
The Jags acquired two fourth-round selections (one in 2024, the other in 2025) and a 2025 third-rounder from the Minnesota Vikings when they agreed to move down from pick No. 17 to No. 23 in this year's draft. They could use either pick to go after Matthew Golden. That would allow them to focus on the defensive line or the cornerback position, which are arguably bigger needs.
The bottom line is that there are several ways the Jacksonville Jaguars can fortify their wide receiver corps next year, and using a mid-round pick on Matthew Golden is one of them.