The last time the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted a wide receiver in the first round came in 2006, trading up for Ohio State WR Santonio Holmes. If the Steelers take a receiver in the first round of 2025, they could target someone with a similar style. Following a blazing 40-time at the NFL Combine, Texas WR Matthew Golden earned a comp to Holmes from lead NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah.
Golden ran the fastest 40-yard dash of the first group of wide receivers, turning in an official 4.29 time. It easily beat out teammate Isaiah Bond, who predicted he’d threaten Xavier Worthy’s all-time record, by a full tenth of a second. That might not sound like much but is a major difference at the NFL level.
During the Combine broadcast, Jeremiah ran through a cut-up of Golden’s best traits.
Golden has had a great past couple of months, shining in the College Football playoffs before a fast 40 on Indy’s track. In 2024, he led the Longhorns in yards (987) and touchdowns (9) and finished second on the team with 58 receptions. He began his career at Houston before transferring to Texas for his final season, just the latest speedy Longhorns’ wideout.
In our scouting report, we highlighted Matthew Golden’s route-running ability and post-catch burst while knocking drops that showed up too often on tape.
He’s become one of the most popular names mocked to Pittsburgh, in need of a starting receiver opposite George Pickens. Missouri’s Luther Burden III and Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka are also common choices linked to the Steelers.
Holmes didn’t have a long career with Pittsburgh but made his time count. He caught the game-winning touchdown of the Steelers’ 2008 Super Bowl win over the Arizona Cardinals, an iconic toe-tap in the back corner of the end zone. If Golden could do the same, it would make for a stellar return on investment.
Read our full report on Golden below.
