Texas WRs Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden Enter NFL Draft

Syndication: Austin American-StatesmanTexas Longhorns wide receiver Isaiah Bond (7) runs drills at practice at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on December 30, 2024 prior to the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. The Longhorns will play the Arizona State Sun Devils in the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day.

Texas wide receivers Isaiah Bond and Matthew Golden are entering the 2025 NFL Draft.

Bond, who spent one season at Texas, is projected to be a top-40 pick by Field Level Media because of his explosive speed and proven big-play ability. His most memorable reception at the college level was probably during his sophomore season at Alabama. Bond got the nod on the play recognized as “Gravedigger” to beat rival Auburn in the 2023 Iron Bowl.

He transferred to Texas after the 2023 season when head coach Nick Saban retired.

Golden led Texas with 987 receiving yards and nine TD catches, averaging 17 yards on his 58 catches in 2024.

In his only season with the Longhorns, Bond had 34 receptions for 540 yards and five touchdowns. He also had a touchdown and 98 yards rushing in 2024.

For his college career, Bond compiled 99 catches for 1,428 yards and 10 TD receptions.

Golden, 21, moved to Texas before the 2024 season from Houston. He had 76 receptions for 988 yards (13 yards per catch) and 13 touchdowns in 20 career games with the Cougars. He leaves Austin with one year of eligibility remaining.

Bond, 20, said he started running hills with his mom in first grade and always dreamed of getting a chance to play in the NFL.

At 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, he is a physical comparison to Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill and shares similarities in equal speed. Hill ran a 4.29 40-yard dash at West Alabama’s Pro Day in 2016 and was a fifth-round pick primarily due to off-field issues.

Bond plans to attend tryouts at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis next month, where he’ll get a chance to showcase his development at the position and run for a record set last year by Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy.

Worthy broke the Combine record in the 40-yard dash, clocking 4.21 seconds and reaching a speed of 21 mph. He was drafted in the first round by the Kansas City Chiefs.

–Field-level media