The Bucs continue to schedule draft prospects on official 30 visits prior to the 2025 NFL Draft and the team has brought in its second known offensive player. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden is visiting Tampa Bay on Tuesday, April 8.

Golden posted a pic of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin on his Instagram account, and Rapoport reported that news on his X account.

This is the second time the Bucs brass met with the Longhorns’ leading receiver this offseason. Tampa Bay also had a formal visit with Golden at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis in March.

Golden turned heads in Indy by running the fastest 40-yard dash time this year at any position. He blazed a 4.29 at the Combine and helped solidify his draft status as a first-round pick.

Golden is the second wide receiver that the Bucs have scheduled a top 30 visit with this year, joining Iowa State’s Jaylin Noel. The Bucs now have 10 known official 30 visitors.

Matthew Golden Could Be A Deep Threat For The Bucs Offense

Texas WR Matthew Golden – Photo by: USA Today

Matthew Golden transferred from Houston to Texas in 2024 and emerged as the team’s leading receiver and the deep threat for quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning. Golden hauled in 58 catches for 987 yards and nine touchdowns. His 17-yard receiving average is a testament to his speed and ability to win downfield.

The Bucs would like to add a more vertical element to their offense in 2024 under new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard. Golden has the speed to get yards after the catch and make contested catches on deep balls due to great hands and concentration despite his 5-foot-11, 191-pound frame. Trey Palmer

Golden racked up 76 catches for 988 yards (13.3 avg.) and 13 touchdowns in two seasons with the Cougars before transferring to the Longhorns. He also 31.2 yards on kick returns in two seasons at Houston, returning two for touchdowns. Golden averaged 20.4 yards on 14 kick returns last year at Texas, and the Bucs could use another option on kick returns with Sean Tucker in 2024.

Despite Tampa Bay having a myriad of needs on defense at cornerback, edge rusher, nickelback and inside linebacker, don’t rule out the team taking another playmaking wide receiver. Head coach Todd Bowles and the Bucs saw firsthand what life was like without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin for three weeks, and the team was also without third wide receiver Jalen McMillan for some time as well.

Texas WR Matthew Golden – Photo by: USA Today

Having more quality depth at wide receiver will only make a strong Bucs offense even stronger, and that’s something that Bowles definitely approves of. He spoke about the opportunity to add another weapon on offense at the NFL Annual Meeting last week in West Palm Beach, Fla.

“Being a defensive coach, I learned that you win by scoring points,” Bowles said. “I don’t ever want to bypass a very good offensive player. I can figure things out enough on defense to keep us competitive. I would like to have some defensive players if that presented itself, but by no means will I bypass a very good offensive player just to satisfy my needs on defense.

“We can figure out how to keep the score down, but you can’t figure out a way to keep scoring points, especially if your horses go down. You can never have enough horses on offense. But, yes, I’d like to add some pieces [on defense] if that’s what you’re asking me, but whether they come in the first [round] or whether they come in the middle [rounds], remains to be seen.”