“Once he tasted success, he just kept working,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz says of an unheralded 5’11” wide receiver – who’s been quietly making big moves. Now, the prized wideout is being eyed by the Cowboys’ Jerry Jones, who is hoping to give QB Dak Prescott another weapon in the draft. Even he looks pretty excited after his visit. It’s not every day that a deep-ball threat with 1,975 receiving yards and a ‘take-no-prisoners’ attitude comes along. So, guess who’s on high alert? Every NFL secondary official. But before that, who’s this 5’11, 191 lb freak who’s keeping Jerry Jones hooked with his two-word message?

It’s none other than Longhorns star WR Matthew Golden. This guy is one of the best wide receivers in the 2025 class. In 16 games, this Houston native scored 58 receptions for 987 yards with an average of 17 yards a catch and found the end zone nine times last season. Now, Golden is ready to be the No. 2 after he made a name for himself at the NFL combine with a 4.29 40-yard dash time. No wonder teams are eyeing him.

Mel Kiper’s most recent mock draft has the Arizona Cardinals selecting Matthew Golden at 16th overall; if this happens, he’ll be the highest-drafted Longhorns wide receiver since Roy Williams in 2004. But it looks like for now, he is just hyping his recent visit with the Cowboy as Matthew puts up an Instagram Story with Jerry Jones with a buzz-worthy blurb saying, “Dat man.” Adding Golden to their already talented receiving corps will only strengthen the team.

Look, one of the best receivers in the league already led the Cowboys receiving corps, CeeDee Lamb. Then there’s Jalen Tolbert, who’s coming off strong after a very productive sophomore season. Now, if Lamb, Tolbert, and Golden join hands this season, it will be a major headache for many defensive coordinators. There’s a high chance that the Cowboys might make a move toward him as they currently own the 12th and 45th overall picks.

The Cowboys need more than duct tape and wishful thinking heading into 2025. Last season’s 7-10 record, largely due to Dak Prescott’s Week 9 injury, exposed a sputtering offense. Brandin Cooks’ departure and Cooper Rush’s inconsistent performance, despite a respectable 4-4 stretch, left the offense wanting. Without Prescott, the team lacked spark; while CeeDee Lamb surpassed 1,100 yards, Jalen Tolbert barely reached 600. Dallas plummeted to 23rd in PFSN’s Offense+ metric—a far cry from their usual standard.

Their hopes now rest on the No. 12 Draft pick, where Matthew Golden appears a prime candidate. The Texas native boasts polished route-running, explosive athleticism, and a reliable work ethic. He doesn’t need to be the top receiver; he just needs the right system. In Dallas, with Lamb drawing significant attention, Golden could flourish. He’s perfectly suited to a struggling offense needing production and balance, a receiver who moves the chains, breaks coverages, and makes defenses anxious.

Even Jerry Jones admitted they are looking for a player who can be explosive, saying, “We’re still open to looking at a really explosive number two that could upgrade us. But as I said, I like our room and certainly like the players we currently have.”  Translation? There’s no desperation, but there’s surely room for an upgrade. But what about Matthew’s Buccaneers visit?

Jerry Jones’ Cowboys might face tough competition for Matthew Golden

Tampa Bay’s newest speedster arrived Tuesday, much to the delight of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. With Godwin re-signing in March, the Buccaneers’ top receiving duo is secure. Their wide receiver corps isn’t a pressing need; defensive holes are a bigger concern. At pick 19, landing a top prospect like Golden might require some maneuvering.

But HC Todd Bowles isn’t just naming players; he’s employing a risky, high-stakes strategy. He made one thing pretty clear: there’s no passing on talent. “I would like to have some defensive players if that presented itself, but by no means will I bypass a very good offensive player just to satisfy my needs on defense,” he said.

That doesn’t sound like a coach would cut fast wide receivers from his draft – especially not the burners. Bowles further said, “We can figure out how to keep the score down, but you can’t figure out a way to keep scoring points, especially if your horses go down. You can never have enough horses on offense.”

And that’s exactly where Matthew Golden fits in. Look, Golden, who posted the second-fastest 40-yard dash at the Combine, brings impressive leadership. While the Bucs do not need another receiver, adding Golden to the Evans-Godwin pairing would create a potent offense. If Coach Bowles is serious, he might just make it happen. Now, it’s a rat race between Dallas and the Bucs. Let’s wait and see which team finally lands him.