It sure was, which gives Golden a lot to live up to, but the 21-year-old speedster wouldn’t have it any other way. He brushed off the idea of the pressure that comes with his selection while acknowledging the history attached to it is pretty special.
Gutekunst certainly believes he’s chosen a special player. He mentioned how the 5-11, 191-pound Golden is “wired” the right way, “knows who he is,” and has battled his own share of family adversity, which seems to fuel him.
In the pre-draft process, Golden was pegged as the fastest receiver in the draft after clocking a 4.29-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine. In the Packers’ offense, that alone will help make up for Christian Watson‘s absence until the fourth-year pro completes his rehab from knee surgery later this fall.
Golden will have to compete, too, because for all the outside talk about need at receiver after the Packers’ young group didn’t make all the strides expected in 2024, it’s not as though Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks are finished products. They’re still developing and coming into their own, and they aren’t just going to step aside, either.
The competition should be pretty fascinating to watch, really.
It’ll be nothing new for Golden, who took a step up last year by transferring from Houston to Texas. He then emerged as the Longhorns’ No. 1 threat over another highly touted transfer, Alabama’s Isaiah Bond. He will push, and be pushed.
“It took a few games to get going, and once they kind of realized what they had, then it just took off and he became a major part of what they were doing,” Gutekunst said.
The numbers bear that out, as Golden topped 50 receiving yards just twice in his first eight games with Texas last year, then did so six times over the final eight games, including two monster performances in the SEC title game and CFP quarterfinal, totaling over 300 yards in those contests.
Everything about Golden, who bypassed his final year of college eligibility, says he’s on an upward trajectory that will start with contributing as a rookie but should only keep ascending from there.
“He’s not at his ceiling,” Gutekunst said.
It might be hard for the GM to top that opening joke, though. On a night that made Green Bay history in multiple ways, that was pretty good, too.
