Since Ron Wolf took over in 1992, his front office tree has never taken a wide receiver in the first round. The Green Bay Packers did it once, to be fair, grabbing Javon Walker, but that was when Mike Sherman was the head coach and general manager. Under Wolf, Ted Thompson, or Brian Gutekunst, it hasn’t happened.

But it doesn’t mean it never will. According to draft expert Tony Pauline, the Packers could lean wide receiver in the first round if one of Matthew Golden or Emeka Egbuka is available at pick 23.

“Most mock drafts have the Green Bay Packers selecting a defensive player in the first round, more times than not someone in the defensive front seven. Yet people tell me to keep an eye on the receiver position, as that is a direction the Pack could go in Round 1. The two names that keep popping up as first-round targets for the team are Matthew Golden and Emeka Egbuka, receiver prospects with different styles.

Golden is faster and has more upside, while Egbuka is bigger with more polish. If they don’t draft a receiver on Day 1, people feel the Packers will most assuredly select a pass catcher on Day 2. There is a real possibility neither receiver will be available when the Packers are called on the clock in the first round.”

The Packers are in fact interested in these two players. Both Golden and Egbuka traveled to Green Bay as part of the team’s top 30 pre-draft visits.

At the NFL Combine, Brian Gutekunst said that it’s not against the franchise’s philosophy to take wide receivers in the first round.

For example, Green Bay was willing to move up to pick 32 when they moved to pick 34 instead to draft Christian Watson in 2022—but that would also be the team’s third first-rounder that year.

“It’s funny, it’s not a philosophical thing we’ve talked about through my time in Green Bay, which goes back quite a while,” Gutekunst said.

“It’s never something like ‘Hey, we don’t want to take wide receivers in the first round’ or certain opportunities we’ve had, we thought that was gonna happen and for whatever reason it didn’t.”

If the Packers don’t take a wide receiver in the first round, expect them to get one or multiple ones later in the draft.

After all, only Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks are under contract beyond 2025. They need long-term options and depth.

“We’ve had a lot of second-round receivers that have been pretty good players for us,” Gutekunst added.

“So, again, I do think the immediate impact of wide receivers is changing because the way these guys are coming out of school, where they can be more impactful quicker, but it’s never been a philosophical thing for us. Just really more kind of how it shook out.”

Wide receivers are more valuable than ever. And if taking them early can maximize the impact and return of a pick, there’s no reason not to pull the trigger.