Patriots Warned to Avoid One WR in NFL Draft

The New England Patriots are being warned to avoid selecting this wide receiver in the NFL Draft.

Nov 30, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Matthew Golden (2) motions during the second half against the Texas A&M Aggies. The Longhorns defeated the Aggies 17-7 at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots have a whole lot needs heading into the offseason, but one need seems to be above them all: wide receiver.

The Patriots have what is probably the worst group of receivers in football, so they will certainly need to attack the position in the spring.

New England is slated to have a wealth of cap space, so the Pats should definitely be able to add a wide out or two in free agency, but they should also probably try to find one in the NFL Draft.

However, Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski is specifically warning the Patriots to avoid one receiver in particular: Texas Longhorns standout Matthew Golden.

While Sobleski seems to like Golden as a whole, he does not think New England projects to be a good fit for the youngster.

Perhaps Dame Parson's scouting report on Golden is a big reason why.

"In all, Golden projects as a WR 2/3 to assume the role of a movement Z receiver," Parson wrote of Golden. "With his speed and explosiveness Golden will be a nice complement to a traditional X-receiver. He will be the quick separator in the offense."

Here's the thing: the Pats do not have a No. 1 receiver at the moment, so prioritizing a slot receiver is probably not the best idea for them heading into 2025.

Now, to be fair, if the Patriots are able to bag someone like Tee Higgins or Chris Godwin on the open market, it may change the outlook.

At that point, New England may be well served to bring in a secondary option like Golden, especially considering that the Pats do not exactly have an impressive stable of auxiliary pass-catchers.

Golden caught 47 passes for 738 yards and eight touchdowns for Texas in 2024.

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