* - How well does his skill set carry over
to the fantasy game? For receivers, a player needs to be a realistic
threat for 70 catches and 1,000 receiving yards at some point
early in their career to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional
scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation.
Positives
Did not begin the season as the team's featured receiver
but emerged as one by the end and came up with clutch plays
during the team's College Football Playoff run.
Timed speed is a bit faster than play speed, but he
should enter training camp as his team's best vertical threat;
accentuates his speed by doing a good job of stacking the corner
and tracking the deep ball well.
Was not asked to win many contested-catch opportunities
(11-of-18 in 2024, 17-of-36 for his career) but is undeniably
explosive vertically; displayed a high level of body control
near the sideline.
Uses multiple releases to get off the line of scrimmage
cleanly and is capable of making sharp cuts on in- or out-breaking
routes; exceptional when he focuses on selling a double move.
Utilizes tempo changes during his route to disrupt the
timing of his defender, allowing him to create separation more
easily.
Highly successful kick returner; 32 career returns -
two for touchdowns - with a 25.8-yard average.
Negatives
Not a lazy player by any means, but his effort when
he is not expecting the ball can be less than ideal; he will
occasionally tip his routes and does not always work his way
back to the ball.
Lack of strength in general could make it a challenge
for him to beat press and hold the line on his routes in the
NFL.
Disappointing run-after-catch production every season,
especially for a vertical threat with his kind of speed.
Last season was the first time in three college seasons
his drop rate (6.5) was lower than his career average (9.4).
Shows occasional ability to get physical as a blocker
but is too passive just as often.
His biggest efforts in 2024 came in games where receiver
teammate Isaiah Bond left early due to injury, did not play
or was coming back from injury (8-162-2 vs. Georgia, 7-149-1
vs. Arizona State).
Bottom Line
Over the first 10 games of his final college season, Golden averaged
2.9 catches for 41.7 yards. Over his final six outings, those
numbers jumped 4.8 catches and 95 yards. Why the change? Some
of it was a product of Bond injuring his ankle around midseason
and then suffering a high-ankle sprain right before the Longhorns'
extended playoff journey. Some of it was probably a realization
that Golden was probably just a better fit for quarterback Quinn
Ewers than Bond was. Did he prove he was a legitimate future starting
receiver in the NFL over that final stretch? Perhaps. Much like
former Texas receiver Xavier Worthy last season, Golden proved
he was more just a sprinter in his one year with the Longhorns.
After beginning his college career by running go and hitch routes
on more than half of his routes as a freshman, Golden lowered
that mark to about a third of his routes in 2024. While it would
be it be a bit much to say he is a great route-runner, he displayed
more nuance than most college speedsters.
The primary concern with Golden is probably the same as it was
for former Longhorn Adonai Mitchell last year. Both players have
no problem with creating separation and are incredible athletes,
but they are also remarkably similar in what might keep them from
becoming great NFL wideouts: drop issues, disappointing run-after-catch
ability and occasional passivity. Golden is not quite in Mitchell's
class athletically, but he is probably slightly ahead in terms
of his development as a receiver. Golden exhibits enough of the
qualities of quality NFL receivers to make me believe he can be
a capable No. 2 midway through his rookie season, but that might
be a stretch. While he should be considered a dynamic field-stretcher
right away - in the Dyami Brown (from 2024) mold - there is almost
no chance in my mind that Golden will be a weekly alpha in the
NFL.
Doug Orth has written for FF Today since 2006 and joined the
Fantasy Points website before the start of the 2024 season. He is
also a highly successful high-stakes player who often appears as
a guest analyst on Sirius XM. Doug is also a member of the Fantasy
Sports Writers Association. Please check him out on "The Football
Diehards" podcast with co-host JJ Wenner.
