Texas wideout Matthew Golden during the 2025 NFL Combine. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Daniel Jeremiah predicts Buccaneers draft star WR in Round 1

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By Caleb Skinner | Last updated Apr 24, 2025 11:00 AM ET

We have finally made it. It's draft day.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with the other 31 teams in the league, are getting ready to welcome in their new class of collegiate players with the hopes of them being able to make an impact to become Super Bowl contenders.

As we have led up to the 2025 NFL Draft, NFL analysts, including us here at BucsGameday, have released mock drafts to try and predict each team's draft pick. The Buccaneers are likely to go heavy on defense in this year's draft, as that is where they lacked the most in 2024. However, that doesn't dismiss that they could end up taking a talented player on the opposite side of the ball as both general manager Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles have alluded to.

In fact, one NFL analyst in particular, the notorious Daniel Jeremiah, has Tampa Bay selecting one of the best wide receivers in the draft in former Houston Cougar and Texas Longhorn Matthew Golden.

My Final Mock Draft pic.twitter.com/X3pydWj5ce
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) April 24, 2025

It is interesting to see Jeremiah take Golden for the Buccaneers at pick No. 19, especially considering their desperate need for defensive help and with names like Malaki Starks, Maxwell Hairston, Jahdae Barron, Trey Amos and Jihaad Campbell all coming off the board following the Bucs' selection.

However, let's say this is the case and the Bucs do want to go this route. Golden is one of the more highly thought of receivers in this draft next to Emeka Egbuka and Tetairoa McMillan. After transferring from Houston after his first two years, Golden wound up at Texas where he had his career-best season, going for 987 yards and nine touchdowns while starting all 16 games.

Bringing in Golden would allow for the Bucs to continue to get younger at the position behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, as he would pair well with fellow young wideout Jalen McMillan. And according to renowned wide receiver guru Matt Harmon, adding Golden to the Bucs' wide receiver room would cause headaches for opposing defenses.

Golden's biggest strength is showing up under the bright lights, as he plays big in the biggest moments. He is agile on his feet, twitchy at the point of attack and displays fantastic body control while in the air for highlight reel snags. However, he can sometimes become unfocused and needs to be more consistent in areas such as protecting the catch-point and playing stronger at the top of his routes.