GREEN BAY, Wis. -- When Matthew Golden caught a short pass in the right flat and made five different defenders miss on his way to a 23-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter of last season's NFC wild-card loss to the Chicago Bears, he showed why the Green Bay Packers used a first-round pick on a receiver for the first time in more than two decades.
It also made some wonder why it took so long -- the entire regular season and into the playoffs -- for Golden to find the end zone for the first time as a pro.
Much the same could be said about the entire Packers draft class from 2025, the whole of which barely made an impact as rookies.
The Packers got only 2,167 total plays from them during the regular season, per ESPN Research. Green Bay's rookies played 1,087 snaps on offense (20th in the NFL), 726 on defense (23rd) and 354 on special teams (28th). Only three teams had fewer snaps by rookies last season.
And only three teams had fewer starts by rookies. Offensive lineman Anthony Belton made seven starts, while Golden had five. No one else made more than one.
While it might not be great for player development, teams that relied more heavily on rookies were far less successful. Of the top 14 teams in terms of rookie snaps last season, only two -- the New England Patriots (fourth most) and Carolina Panthers (seventh) -- made the playoffs. The bottom four teams -- the Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams -- all made the playoffs. The 5-12 Cleveland Browns had the most snaps played by rookies last season at 6,001.
Here's a pick-by-pick look at how the Packers' 2025 draft class fared as rookies:
WR Matthew Golden, Round 1 (No. 23 overall): Oddly enough, going into the playoffs, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich made it sound like Golden wouldn't have a big role, saying "With the [receiver] room the way it is, he's not going to be in that premier role when the playoffs come around." Golden ended up tied with Jayden Reed for the second-most catches (four) behind Romeo Doubs (eight) in that playoff game.
He missed three regular-season games because of injury. Golden was second among Packers rookies in snaps (449) on offense or defense and had only one regular-season game with more than six targets. With Doubs likely gone in free agency, the Packers should find more targets for Golden in 2026.
"When you go through tough times when you're losing games and maybe you're not getting as many opportunities as you want, that's going to be frustrating," general manager Brian Gutekunst said. "But I thought he handled it like a pro, and when his number was called on, he performed. Really excited to see what he can do in Year 2."
Matthew Golden's first career NFL TD couldn't have been in a bigger moment 😱
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 11, 2026
(via @packers)pic.twitter.com/Y5G8uOYaCn
OL Anthony Belton, Round 2 (No. 54): After starting the season as a backup tackle, Belton found a home at right guard and played the most snaps (520 on defense) of any rookie on either side of the ball. He played every snap over the final seven games after Sean Rhyan moved to center as a replacement for the injured Elgton Jenkins. Belton looks like the right guard of the future.
"I don't think there's any reason not to leave him there, at least for the immediate future," Stenavich said late in the season.
WR Savion Williams, Round 3 (No. 87): The Packers mostly used him as a screen or jet sweep player with limited success in his 142 snaps on offense. He also served as the primary kickoff returner until a foot injury ruined his season, missing five of the last six games. His most notable play was a 33-yard catch to convert a third down on the Packers' game-winning drive to beat the Giants in Week 11.
DE Barryn Sorrell, Round 4 (No. 124): He made his only start in the regular-season finale when several starters were held out. Sorrell was a healthy scratch for two games late in the season. He had his first full sack in that game against the Vikings. In 223 snaps, Sorrell recorded 15 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 3 QB hits and 1 fumble recovery.
DE Collin Oliver, Round 5 (No. 159): It was largely a lost season for Oliver. After missing the first 16 games because of an offseason hamstring injury, he played 40 snaps in the regular-season finale, his only action of the season. The Packers view him as a pass-rush specialist. He had two QB hits in his lone game, but that's not enough action to determine how much -- if at all -- he could help next season.
DT Warren Brinson, Round 6 (No. 198): After being a healthy scratch the first four games of the season, he played 302 defensive snaps the rest of the way and showed some run-stopping ability.
CB Micah Robinson, Round 7 (No. 237): He started the season on the practice squad, was elevated for two games but did not play. Midway through the season, he was signed off the practice squad by the Titans. He appeared in nine games for Tennessee
OL John Williams, Round 7 (No. 250): He spent the entire season on the physically unable to perform list because of a back injury. After he used his three-week practice window late in the season, he was returned to the PUP list.
Notable undrafted free agent: DT Nazir Stackhouse ranked fourth among Packers rookies in snaps (186) and showed some run-stopping ability. He played in 13 games and was a healthy scratch in four others.