The streak is finally dead. Honestly, if you’d told a Packers fan five years ago that Brian Gutekunst would actually use a first-round pick on a wide receiver, they’d probably have laughed you out of the room. It’s been twenty-three years since Javon Walker. Twenty-three years of "best player available" usually meaning a linebacker or a defensive end while Aaron Rodgers, and later Jordan Love, made do with second-round gems and undrafted finds.
But 2025 was different. The atmosphere in Green Bay during the draft was electric—literally, with over 200,000 people packed into the Frozen Tundra's vicinity. When the pick came in at No. 23, the drought ended.
Who did the Packers draft 2025?
The Green Bay Packers selected Matthew Golden, a wide receiver from Texas, with their first-round pick. It wasn't just a "need" pick; it was a statement. Golden is a burner. He clocked a 4.29-second 40-yard dash at the combine, which was the fastest among all receivers. For an offense that already has some young talent, adding that kind of "take the top off" speed changes the math for every defensive coordinator in the NFC North.
Here is how the rest of the 2025 class shook out across the three days of the draft:
- Round 1 (23): Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
- Round 2 (54): Anthony Belton, OT, NC State
- Round 3 (87): Savion Williams, WR, TCU
- Round 4 (124): Barryn Sorrell, DL, Texas
- Round 5 (159): Collin Oliver, DL, Oklahoma State
- Round 6 (198): Warren Brinson, DL, Georgia
- Round 7 (237): Micah Robinson, CB, Tulane
- Round 7 (250): John Williams, OL, Cincinnati
The Shock of the "Double Dip" at Receiver
The most surprising thing wasn't just Golden. It was that they went back to the well in the third round for Savion Williams. Think about that. Two receivers in the first three rounds for a team that historically treats the position like a luxury item. Savion Williams is a different beast than Golden—he’s 6-foot-4, weighs 220 pounds, and basically plays like a power forward on the grass.
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Why do this? Look at the injury report from 2024. Christian Watson’s ACL tear in the finale left a massive void. Gutekunst basically decided that Jordan Love shouldn't just have "enough" weapons; he should have an unfair amount of them.
Breaking Down the Big Men: Belton and the Trenches
While the receivers got the headlines, the second-round pick of Anthony Belton might actually be the most "Packers" pick of the bunch. He’s massive. 6-foot-6, 335 pounds. He’s the heaviest lineman they’ve drafted in nearly two decades.
Belton spent three years at left tackle for NC State, but there’s already talk about him sliding inside to guard. It’s the classic Green Bay strategy: draft a tackle, see if he can hold the edge, and if not, move him inside to maul people. With Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom both nearing the end of their current deals, the Packers needed insurance. Belton isn't a finished product—his hand technique can be a bit "bull-in-a-china-shop"—but you can't teach that size.
Day 3: The Defensive Reinforcements
The defense didn't get a look until Saturday. Some fans were a bit annoyed by that, especially with the secondary needing help. But the Packers focused on the pass rush. Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver are high-motor guys.
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Oliver is particularly interesting. He’s a bit undersized at 240 pounds, but he was a production machine at Oklahoma State before a foot injury slowed him down. He’s the kind of "tweener" that Jeff Hafley can use in exotic blitz packages. Then you have Warren Brinson from Georgia—because apparently, there is a legal requirement that the Packers draft at least one Georgia defender every year.
Analyzing the Strategy: Was it a Success?
Most experts gave the Packers a "B" or an "A-minus." The biggest criticism? The lack of cornerbacks. They waited until pick 237 to take Micah Robinson. In a division with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Justin Jefferson, that feels a little like playing with fire.
However, the logic seems to be that if you can score 30 points a game and your pass rush (boosted by Sorrell and Oliver) can get to the QB in under three seconds, your corners don't have to be superstars. It's a gamble.
Key takeaway for fans:
The 2025 draft was about Jordan Love. Every pick in the first two rounds was designed to protect him or give him a new toy. Matthew Golden isn't just a deep threat; he's a kickoff returner who can capitalize on the new NFL kickoff rules. He had a 61% contested catch rate in college, which is wild for a guy his size.
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Actionable Insight for the Season
If you're watching the Packers this year, keep an eye on the pre-snap movement. With Golden's speed and Savion Williams' size, Matt LaFleur has the personnel to run those heavy-motion sets that were so successful in the late 2023 season.
Expect to see:
- Matthew Golden used in "jet sweep" motions to freeze linebackers.
- Anthony Belton rotating in at right guard if the veterans struggle with power rushers.
- Savion Williams as a "big slot" target in red-zone situations.
The Packers basically stopped trying to find "value" in the late rounds for their receiving corps and decided to buy the best talent on the market. It’s a shift in philosophy that signals they believe their Super Bowl window is wide open right now.
To see how these rookies are fitting in, you should check out the latest training camp footage or the "8 things to know" series on the official team site, as the physical leap Belton and Golden have made since April is already being noted by the coaching staff.