TribLive is highlighting the top prospects leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. The three-day event is April 23-25.
Denzel Boston
Position: Wide receiver
Height/weight: 6-foot-3⅝/212 pounds
College: Washington
Boston has the size and elite ball skills needed for the NFL game, but draft analysts question his speed and separation.
The redshirt junior caught 125 passes for 1,715 yards and 20 touchdowns in his two seasons as a starter. Boston had five drops on 193 targets in that span, according to Pro Football Focus.
The 22-year-old has shown a knack for winning jump balls and contested catches, but his quickness remains his biggest question mark.
Boston didn’t run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine or his pro day. However, draft analyst Lance Zierlein compared Boston favorably to All-Pro receiver Puka Nacua, who ran a lackluster 4.53-second time at the 2023 combine.
Zierlein acknowledged that a comparison to Nacua “might feel strong,” but noted in Boston’s NFL.com profile that he, too, “enters the draft with speed/separation concerns and outstanding competitive toughness.”
Boston earned third-team All-Big Ten honors at receiver last season and honorable mention as a return specialist. He returned eight punts and took one 78 yards for a touchdown.
Key stat
76.9% — Boston’s contested catch rate, which ranked fifth nationally among FBS receivers with at least 10 contested targets (10 of 13).
Did you know?
Boston could be the second Washington receiver in three years to be drafted in the first round, joining former teammate Rome Odunze (ninth in 2024 by the Chicago Bears).
On draft
Here is a look at where the top NFL Draft analysts rank Washington among players at his position and prospects overall:
Draft expert — WR/Overall
Mel Kiper Jr. — seventh/NA
Daniel Jeremiah — fifth/27th
Todd McShay — fifth/34th
Field Yates — fifth/25th
Quotable
“I believe I can be a great separator at the next level. I have creativity in my bag that I’m just waiting to be able to use.”
— Boston at the NFL Combine