Matthew Golden: Controlled Horsepower

[bakes781]

 

[VJCPatriot]

I like Golden a lot. I would be comfortable to take him in the 1st round in the 10-16 range after a trade down.

I still like T-Mac a little bit more because he projects more of a big X role and red zone threat.

We're going to have to see who the Pats like the best, but hopefully we can trade down and pick up extra value if Carter/Hunter are both gone.

Mild nightmares of Campbell being the dude at #4, forced inside to guard because of T-rex arms, and then we see guys taken later like Simmons, Banks, Conerly, Ersery, etc. turning into legit starting LTs.

 

[bakes781]

My dream draft:

4 - Abdul Carter
38 - Ersery
69 - Tre Harris
77 - Mukuba

 

[imahobgoblin]

Look up inconsistency and you will find Matthew Golden. I beg you to just listen. Those only reason he is the flavor of the week is because if his 40 time. His game tape is actually confusing. He has never broken 1000 years in a season. He has had just two great career games. That is it. Just 2. He may be a good WR2 as he learns to be more consistent, but he is all over the place.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Look up inconsistency and you will find Matthew Golden. I beg you to just listen. Those only reason he is the flavor of the week is because if his 40 time. His game tape is actually confusing. He has never broken 1000 years in a season. He has had just two great career games. That is it. Just 2. He may be a good WR2 as he learns to be more consistent, but he is all over the place.

Plenty of us liked the way he looked before he ran the 40 because he has smooth routes and can get open against man coverage. While I tend to prefer seeing production, putting up stats doesn't guarantee future performance, either. It's all a projection game, and there are so many non-metric elements (such as health and attitude and work ethic and maturity) that none of us will ever get everything right. When looking at a projection, however, I think you have to look at traits that translate.

Can Golden get open against man and zone? Yes.
Can he catch the ball? Yes.
Can he dictate a safety shading his way in coverage? Yes (the 40 reinforces this but shouldn't push him up boards beyond checking the box).

When I evaluate a player, I'm interested in body control and awareness, or a dominating trait, which is why all occasionally advocate for limited players who are great at one thing -- DK Metcalf and his excellent releases against press man, for example. Golden looks like a Deion Branch or Stefon Diggs in that he's fluid and explosive. That's the kind of player I'd take a gamble on, even if he's not my first choice.

Great testing numbers aren't enough on their own to make a great prospect, but when the glimpses of putting it all together are there, excellent athleticism tells you that the player still has room to grow and develop. I wouldn't be surprised if he outperforms a number of receivers who had better stats in college. He could be a great fit with Maye.

 

[imahobgoblin]

Plenty of us liked the way he looked before he ran the 40 because he has smooth routes and can get open against man coverage. While I tend to prefer seeing production, putting up stats doesn't guarantee future performance, either. It's all a projection game, and there are so many non-metric elements (such as health and attitude and work ethic and maturity) that none of us will ever get everything right. When looking at a projection, however, I think you have to look at traits that translate.

Can Golden get open against man and zone? Yes.
Can he catch the ball? Yes.
Can he dictate a safety shading his way in coverage? Yes (the 40 reinforces this but shouldn't push him up boards beyond checking the box).

When I evaluate a player, I'm interested in body control and awareness, or a dominating trait, which is why all occasionally advocate for limited players who are great at one thing -- DK Metcalf and his excellent releases against press man, for example. Golden looks like a Deion Branch or Stefon Diggs in that he's fluid and explosive. That's the kind of player I'd take a gamble on, even if he's not my first choice.

Great testing numbers aren't enough on their own to make a great prospect, but when the glimpses of putting it all together are there, excellent athleticism tells you that the player still has room to grow and develop. I wouldn't be surprised if he outperforms a number of receivers who had better stats in college. He could be a great fit with Maye.

I have no problem with any of this and I agree. But he is not a 1st round pic, let alone worth #4. 2nd round is fine.

 

[bakes781]

 

[BobDigital]

I have said before and will say again, I like Golden. That being said, I don't see his 40 speed on the field. And a lot of players with very impressive 40 speeds went on to do very little in the NFL. Most players actually with sub 4.3 were bust or close to it.

Personal feelings aside, guys like Tyreek Hill are the exception, not the rule. He was one of those speedy guys who kind of had to learn to be a WR and did. His college play wasn't that impressive.

Typically I ask myself this question. If a guy is THAT fast in the college level, why isn't he absolutely dominating? The answer tends to be that they aren't a very good WR. They win big on occasion due to their speed, but the route running, hands, moves, agility, body control, mental speed. Something isn't there or multiple things aren't. If someone had that speed and WAS a good WR at that level they would be putting up insane numbers. Golden didn't put up insane numbers. He put up good numbers a single a year.

Golden made some great contested catches, but most of the time he pretty much ran in a straight line, got behind coverage, and made the catch. Very little set up at the line or complex route running.

He is a fast guy who has good physicality for his size, pretty good hands, and his head fake is solid, but he has little set up on the line or complexity to his game. What happens when he can't just run by people as much in a straight line without setting them up? I like the kid, but i don't give him a grade in the first or (hot take) even second round. I just don't see it.

 

[bakes781]

I was never a proponent of taking a WR in round 1 but this "average" player landed in a great spot IMO. Packers who rarely take WRs early have a good history of spotting talent at that position.