The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are coming off a season during which they won 10 games and claimed their fourth straight NFC South title, but they need to find a way to take the next step and become legitimate Super Bowl contenders.
Wide receiver Chris Godwin is back on a new contract after suffering a severe ankle injury in the middle of last season, and Mike Evans continues to be productive, but Evans will be 32 years of age when Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season takes place.
Therefore, it may be time for the Buccaneers to take a chance on a young wideout in the upcoming draft.
On Tuesday, they reportedly met with Matthew Golden, one of the top wide receiver prospects this year, per Ian Rapoport.
#Texas WR Matthew Golden, in the mix to be the top WR taken in the NFL Draft, is visiting the #Bucs today, per his IG. pic.twitter.com/SBThES2cTs
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 8, 2025
Golden posted 58 receptions, 987 receiving yards and nine touchdowns last season with the University of Texas after two seasons prior to that at the University of Houston.
He has also been a kick return specialist and totaled 722 kick return yards and two kick return touchdowns in his three seasons of college football.
He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds, and the hope is that his outstanding speed will allow him to overcome his modest 5-foot-11, 191-pound frame.
Tampa Bay has the No. 19 pick in the upcoming NFL draft, and given the relative amount of parity in this year’s draft class, they could have the opportunity to add someone with that pick who will become a future Pro Bowler.
They have a young stud at running back in Bucky Irving, and they added veteran two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Haason Reddick in free agency this offseason.
