Shaking Roger Goodell's hand is a big deal, and Matthew Golden has the chance to do it
Dane Brugler reported Sunday night that Matthew Golden could have his dream-come-true moment later this month at the NFL Draft. Golden received and accepted an invitation to attend the NFL Draft in Green Bay, a good sign that the Longhorns wide receiver is going to shake Roger Goodell’s hand during the first round of the NFL draft.
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Golden, who spent one season at Texas after two years with the Houston Cougars, is vying for WR1 status considering Colorado star Travis Hunter can be placed in his own category. Competition for that honor includes Tetairoa McMillan of Arizona, but Golden has enjoyed such a successful pre-draft process that it’s looking more likely he’ll be picked early on in the first round.
Texas has sent multiple players into the first round in the last two drafts, but only Bijan Robinson was at the event when the Atlanta Falcons picked him with the eight overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Byron Murphy, who was picked 16th overall by Seattle, and Xavier Worthy, who went to Kansas City with the 28th pick, elected to stay at home with family on draft night in 2024.
Shaking Goodell’s hand is a huge deal. Though the league’s commissioner is reviled by the masses, walking across the stage signifies that all the hard work and time given to the game of football was worth it. It entails newfound financial success and a validation of confidence few other humans possess.
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Of course, it also is a good image for football programs to be able to spread for recruits. Before Robinson, Texas spent almost a decade without the ability to sell itself as a first-round factory. Malcom Brown was the last first-rounder before Robinson, but he didn’t take the stage in the 2015 draft. Kenny Vaccaro was the last Longhorn to shake Goodell’s hand prior to Robinson, and that was all the way back in 2014 when he was picked 15th overall by New Orleans.
That lack of first-round talent was often used against the Longhorns on the recruiting trail. While there were good drafts for Texas, it paled in comparison to the programs that put out multiple first-rounders on a yearly basis. Those programs more often than not snagged the elite talent sought by the Longhorns, whether in-state or from around the nation. Now with the reputation of being a place to go to turn into a NFL prospect, the Longhorns are able to take advantage of the draft on the recruiting trail. That includes using pictures like the one of Robinson above and the one likely to be made by Golden later this month.
Dependent on what Jahdae Barron and Kelvin Banks elect to do, the NFL commissioner could be introduced to several Longhorns during the first round of the draft.
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The 2025 NFL draft is scheduled to begin April 24 and run through April 26.
