GREEN BAY, Wis. — Fans were amazed and appreciative that the NFL’s smallest city could host one of the league’s biggest events, the NFL draft, and their mood was brightened ever more when the hometown Packers selected a wide receiver in the first round on Thursday.An estimated 125,000 people were gathered outside historic Lambeau Field on Thursday before the start of the draft, per local news reports. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city of Green Bay had a population of 105,744 in 2023.”This is Green Bay’s Super Bowl,” said Donnie Renard Jr., who was part of a three-generation delegation that also included his father, Donnie, and 20-year-old son, Tommy.Renard made the trip from Wabeno, Wis., about 85 miles north of Green Bay. His son is from Wausau in the center of the state, and his dad — a lifelong Packers fan — still lives in Green Bay.”My dad’s actually been to a Super Bowl, a Pro Bowl, the Hall of Fame Game and now the draft,” said Renard, adding that they would be back on both Friday and Saturday.All three of the Renards were pleased with the selection of Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden with the 23rd pick in the first round. The speedy Golden was timed in a blistering 4.29 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine.”I like it,” Tommy Renard said. “We needed a true No. 1, and I think he’s going to be it.”Golden is the first wide receiver drafted in the first round by the Packers since Javon Walker in 2002. He spent two years at Houston before transferring last season to Texas, where had 58 receptions for 987 yards and nine touchdowns.”It’s always been a dream of mine to go in the first round,” Golden said. “And to know that they haven’t picked a receiver since 2002, it’s truly a blessing.”