Packers Go ‘Out of Character’ in Peter Schrager’s NFL Mock Draft for ESPN

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Peter Schrager correctly picked the Super Bowl winner five consecutive years. That streak ended this year, when he predicted the Kansas City Chiefs would beat the Green Bay Packers.

Will he correctly predict who the Packers will pick in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night?

In his first mock draft since jumping to ESPN, Schrager said the Packers will pick Texas receiver Matthew Golden.

“I know it’s out of character for Green Bay to take a receiver in Round 1 – they haven't done it since 2002 – but in this scenario, Golden could slide right to them. And I can't see him sliding much more.”

Golden was one of the three premier receivers who had predraft visits with the Packers. While Golden doesn’t have Tetaiora McMillan’s size and Emeka Egbuka’s production, he’s got elite speed and surprising polish considering his slightly limited stats. He is the No. 1 receiver in the draft, according to NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, though his spot on individual draft boards will be dependent on what a team is looking for.

At the Combine, Golden measured 5-foot-11 and 191 pounds. He ran his 40 in 4.29 seconds. That’s the fastest among this year’s receivers.

Speed, though, isn’t his No. 1 asset.

“I would say my route running and the catch point,” he said at the Combine. “Being able to attack the ball, wherever the ball is, (and) being able to play inside and outside.”

Jeremiah called him a “quarterback’s best friend” because of his reliability.

“Being a reliable target,” Golden said about the “best friend” comment. “Whenever you need that clutch play, I’m going to be there. I’m can make any play that’s coming toward me, and being on the same page with the quarterback at the right time.”

During his one season at Texas, he set career highs with 58 receptions, 987 yards, 17.0 yards per reception and nine touchdowns. His draft stock surged over the last few months, starting with monster games against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game (eight catches, 162 yards) and Arizona in the playoffs (seven catches, 149 yards).

Golden caught 13-of-22 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield, ranking among the leaders in receptions and catch percentage.

“I can get open to the boundary,” he said of his long-ball prowess. “I can change my tempo, my speeds and be able to snap down and comeback to the quarterback. I can stretch the field vertically. I also like to be in the run game. I take a lot of pride in blocking.”

How Golden emerged as the go-to player at Texas in his one season on campus won’t be lost on teams.

“As a quarterback, you're always trying to find rapport and trust in a receiver. And as a play-caller, you are, too, and you earn trust with consistency and time,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said.

“And I think there's a level of consistency in Matthew's game that he's earned a lot of trust in myself and earned a lot of trust in Quinn (Ewers) that in a lot of the critical moments, it's easy to try to find him because you know he's going to be in the right spot and you know he's going to be competitively tough and make those plays. And I think over time, I've learned that the moment doesn't ever get too big for him, either. He remains very poised and composed in some of the bigger moments that we've had.”

Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons, Michigan cornerback Will Johnson, Texas A&M edge Shemar Stewart and Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston were among the group of players who were available to Green Bay at No. 23 but went later in the first.

“Green Bay could go in several directions,” Schrager concluded. “I doubt anyone thought the Packers could get the consensus top wideout on many boards, though.”

More Green Bay Packers News