The 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay promised a spectacle the likes of which the nation’s smallest major sports market has never seen. During the opening round on Thursday, over 200,000 people — nearly double Green Bay’s population — flooded Lambeau Field and the surrounding area.
Packers greats like Clay Matthews, Jordy Nelson, and James Jones were featured at various parts of the ceremony, but the question of whether or not Brian Gutekunst would do his part to satisfy the home crowd loomed large. The team headed into the draft with three key needs at premium positions: cornerback, edge rusher, and wide receiver.
Gutekunst’s adherence to the organization’s disciplined and traditionalist approach has held strong ever since he took over for the late Ted Thompson. President and CEO Mark Murphy said he told Gutekunst to do whatever was best for the Packers, even if that meant trading down.
In a thrilling moment that stole the show on the first night, Murphy delivered the news that, for the first time since 2002, the Packers were selecting a wide receiver in the first round. Josh Jacobs candidly asked for a blue-chip receiving talent on the outside after falling to the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the playoffs. Gutekunst answered with renowned Texas WR Matthew Golden.
At 5’11” and just under 200 lbs., Golden is a field-stretcher who can line up anywhere. Instantly, the selection makes Golden the intended No. 1 target of the future and decreases the probability that Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs receive second contracts next offseason. Jayden Reed has the most secure long-term role of the four young Packers receivers, each of whom has flashed in unique ways.
He’s a dynamic gadget player who is the ultimate weapon for Matt LaFleur’s creative run game and short passing concepts. He also has the speed and downfield ability to create huge chunk plays. In the near term, Dontayvion Wicks will see the biggest hit to his playing time. In the next couple of years, Watson and Doubs could see their roles in LaFleur’s offense evaporate entirely.
The plot thickened on Friday when, after snagging another massive offensive lineman in Round 2, Green Bay went back to the wide receiver well in Round 3 with Savion Williams. After being drafted, the TCU product said he had given Golden his tour of the Fort Worth campus when Golden was in high school. The addition of Golden and Williams on back-to-back days, at the cost of premium draft capital, indicates that the front office doesn’t just want to infuse the room with some juice, but tear it down and rebuild it entirely.
In his press conference, Gutekunst sounded just as surprised as anyone else that two of his first three picks were wideouts, implying that they were simply going with the best player available on their board. Intentional or not, it’s a track meet in Green Bay’s receiving room. Golden (4.29) and Watson (4.36) have unique speed, and so do Reed (4.45), Williams (4.48), and recently signed return specialist Mecole Hardman (4.33), who is suddenly in severe danger of being a training camp cut.
The Packers have been heralded for their deep, young receiving room, but they have ostensibly realized that it simply is not enough. Bo Melton, Malik Heath, Hardman, and potentially Wicks are at risk of being cut this summer and will compete intensely at camp for a small number of spots.
In terms of roles, Golden will likely have a clear path to a starting outside receiving spot with Watson out until midseason. Williams will likely become a chess piece for LaFleur, similar to what he did with Reed. With Watson and Doubs on expiring contracts this season and Zach Tom, Quay Walker, and Devonte Wyatt needing to get paid, it’s possible that Gutekunst and the front office have set the stage for a swift transition from two young receiver picks to two new ones.
Many eyes will be on Golden’s production and how he will fare relative to the rest of the room. Presuming he stays healthy, he likely lands somewhere from WR1 to WR3, with Reed and Doubs potentially falling in between.
While Reed’s role is the most secure, he has not been ball-dominant and featured more as a role player in select games, while disappearing in others. Doubs held down the fort at the X receiver spot all of 2024. While he was more consistent and had a defined role as the red-zone contested-catch guy, his lack of upside has been apparent throughout his career. The picks made in the last couple of days appear to favor that sentiment.
It remains to be seen exactly how the 2025 depth chart and usage will turn out, but we can be sure of two things. First, Matt LaFleur’s chessboard just got more dynamic and fun. Second, Jordan Love’s life just got easier and more exciting. The fans and media have been begging for a moment like that for years, and to do it in front of a raucous Green Bay crowd was the perfect way to deliver it.
