Although the Dallas Cowboys are a prime candidate to select Ashton Jeanty in the 2025 NFL Draft, that might not happen once late April rolls around. In fact, Jeanty has been mocked at pick No. 6 in reputable mock drafts. Now, while they didn’t select Jeanty, Todd McShay had the Cowboys selecting this Texas star receiver in his Mock Draft 2.0, per Bleacher Report’s Joseph Zucker.
“In his mock 2.0 published Thursday, McShay had the Las Vegas Raiders picking Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty sixth overall,” Zucker wrote. “With North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton subsequently off the board, the Cowboys took Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden.”
As a prospect, Golden might not be the prospect Cowboys fans were hoping for once the 2024 NFL season ended. But, with just about a month until the 2025 NFL Draft, he’s a growing possibility for Dallas.
“For the Cowboys, Golden is an increasingly popular pick,” Zucker added. “He was also the choice in B/R’s mock along with the newest update from NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah.
“In his lone season with the Longhorns, Golden caught 58 passes for 987 yards and nine touchdowns. The 4.29-second 40-yard dash he ran at the NFL Scouting Combine showed the danger he may pose to NFL secondaries.”
While his 40-yard dash time was wildly impressive, it could paint the picture that Golden is an incoming Xavier Worthy.
And although they show allegiance to the Texas Longhorns — having both played home games in Austin, TX, while in college — they’re built very differently.
Matthew Golden: 5-foot-11, 191 pounds
Xavier Worthy: 6-foot-1, 160 pounds
Not only is Worthy taller by about two inches, but he’s 30 pounds lighter. And it shows on the field sometimes for Worthy.
Now, this isn’t to say Golden can’t get bullied at the line, too, because he does.
But, the former Longhorn could be one of the top receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft because of what he can do on the field.
There’s Travis Hunter — who plays cornerback, too — and Tetairoa McMillan as the 2025 draft class’ top prospects for some.
However, Golden has been climbing up mock draft boards, and for good reason.
Matthew Golden vs ASU is elite film.
He’s catching contested, he’s tracking over his shoulder, he’s winning deep, then winning throttling down. He’s lose and fluid at the breakpoint. pic.twitter.com/EcMsuNQSJo
— Theo Ash (@TheoAshNFL) March 4, 2025
While he never eclipsed 1,000 yards as a receiver in college, his nine touchdowns in 2024 were a big step up for the one-year SEC transfer from the Houston Cougars.
He might not be Ashton Jeanty, but Matthew Golden would be a good pick for the Cowboys at No. 12, the selection Todd McShay predicted in his Mock Draft 2.0.
