Texas Longhorns wide receiver Matthew Golden (2) evades a tackle from Arizona State Sun Devils defensive back Shamari Simmons (7) in the fourth quarter as the Texas Longhorns play the Arizona State Sun Devils in the Peach Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, Jan. 1, 2025. Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Seahawks predicted to pick draft's most-Seahawks-like WR prospect in Round 1

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Tim Weaver | Last updated Apr 13, 2025 11:00 AM ET

DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are now out of the picture, so the Seattle Seahawks are widely expected to pick a wide receiver early in the 2025 NFL draft. At the moment, the odds from DraftKings Sportsbook have a wide receiver selection ranked second behind the offensive line as far as potential first picks for Seattle.

The most popular prospect connected to the Seahawks at this position appears to be Tetairoa McMillan from Arizona, who's the number one ranked WR in this class not counting Colorado's two-way superstar Travis Hunter. McMillan fits the "big-bodied" type of wideout the team is supposedly looking for. However, we prefer Matthew Golden from Texas if the Seahawks are planning to use their first pick on a receiver.

A new 2025 mock from Jeff Kerr at CBS Sports has Seattle doing just that, taking Golden with the 18th overall pick in the draft.

"There's no denying Golden's route running and ability to catch passes, making him one of the most polished players in this class. The size may not be there but the production is - especially on the outside."

Golden's skillset makes him a great fit for the Seahawks, who have a gluttony of receivers who do their best work from the slot and in the intermediate parts of the field. Meanwhile, at the moment the best burner/vertical threat on the roster may be Marquez Valdez-Scanting, which means Seattle should be in the market for a big upgrade in this department to take full advantage of Sam Darnold's deep game, which was the best in the NFL last season.

Golden (5-foot-11, 191 pounds) offers that 9-route expertise and comes in a package that closely resembles the type of wide receiver the Seahawks seem to prefer - Metcalf being the exception to the rule. They have had great success with different iterations of this prototype - such as Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett, but there have been others - such as Paul Richardson, as well. Golden has a ceiling that's higher than any of them, though.

If they're not going to take an offensive lineman right away, Golden is the one prospect who likely boosts their projected win total more than any other - at least among those who are expected to still be available in the middle of the first round.

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: