With training camp just over two weeks away, we are getting closer and closer to the highly anticipated debut of Green Bay Packers rookie receiver Matthew Golden.

The 23rd overall pick out of Texas ended a 22-year drought in Green Bay of not drafting a wide receiver in the first round. Naturally, expectations are high for Golden, whose 4.29 speed and playmaking ability will add an explosive element to the Packers’ offense.

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“It’s just being able to contribute to the team, go out there and have fun,” Golden said via Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. “Just my versatility, what I can do, I can play anywhere on the field. Just doing what the team needs me to do. That’s what I did at Texas and that’s what I’m going to continue to do. Just being in the position to play for the Green Bay Packers, man, it means so much to me.”

Golden has already earned high praise from his new quarterback. Earlier this offseason, Jordan Love said Golden “looks like a stud” and is “very polished.”

Coming off a season hampered by injuries, Love hopes to get back to playing at the elite level he experienced during the second half of 2023. Golden’s unique skillset could be a missing piece to the puzzle, but the connection between him and his quarterback will have to happen organically.

“It’s going to be what it’s supposed to be, you know, over time, you got to build, you got to gain his trust,” Golden said. “So, for me, it’s just going out there, you just put my best foot forward each and every day, and just allowing him to know that I’m going to be right where I need to be. So, I just feel like for me it’s going to happen over time.”

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Golden was recently back in his hometown of Houston to host a youth football camp and give back to the community while also working with highly regarded sports performance coach Justin Allen. Allen has worked with some of the biggest names in the NFL and NBA. He is expecting big things out of Golden as a rookie.

“Similar to the impact he made when he went to the University of Texas,” Allen said. “Everyone expected him to be a return guy, but he showed that he could be a wide receiver one or fit whatever role he’s asked to fit. He’s very versatile, so I see him making a great impact as a rookie.”

While the Packers may not have been actively searching for a WR1, they certainly won’t mind if Golden becomes one.

When Green Bay officially kicks off its training camp on July 23, Golden and Love can continue to build chemistry to try and hit the ground running at the start of the regular season.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Anticipation builds for Packers WR Matthew Golden ahead of rookie season