Denzel Boston
Washington WR Denzel Boston.
So, yeah, the Bucs have a new hole on the roster.
When Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht had a sitdown at One Buc Palace recently with a select group of the local Fourth Estate, Licht sort of flippantly remarked how the Bucs now have a spot open after Mike Evans bolted to San Francisco.
Adding a receiver in the draft? It’s a crapshoot.
Bubbling up in the comments of this here website is the name of receiver Denzel Boston of Washington (not to be confused with Denzel Washington).
It seems this Boston is sort of a Mike Evans-type: tall, physical, and boxes out going up for the rebound pass. And Boston also seems to have good footwork along the sidelines (Evans’ footwork along the boundary was elite).
For research, Joe decided to go to veteran NFL scribe Bob McGinn’s annual draft guide, now found on the Go Long TD Substack. Joe loves McGinn’s guide because he quotes scouts to get intel on each player — positive and negative — so folks get a full picture of the player.
Evans’ name came up in the breakdown of Boston.
DENZEL BOSTON, Washington (6-3 ½, 210): Backed up for two seasons before starting all 25 games in 2024-’25. “He reminds me of Nico Collins with the body when he came out (in 2021, third round),” one scout said. “He’s probably going to have that same kind of developmental process. He’s more of a second- or third-round guy. He has length, size and really good speed. I’d estimate 4.45. He was a downfield threat for them. He was used so much down the field that you didn’t get to see a lot of that (inside). He’s got good hands but I don’t think they’re great. He’s got work to do there, but there’s only so much work you can do. Just like speed. If a guy doesn’t have great hands he’s never going to be super consistent at the next level. He is explosive off the ball. You can feel it when he’s in the game.” Finished with 132 catches for 1,781 (13.5) and 20 TDs. “He’s an X receiver,” a second scout said. “OK speed. He’s really more of a 50-50-let-me-outrebound-the guy. Body position, basketball player type guy. He’s a real starter.” Also a punt returner, bringing back 25 for an 8.5 average and one TD. “He’s got a little bit of Mike Evans in him but he’s just not as fast down the field,” said a third scout. “He’s got a lot of talent. He’s big and strong, runs good routes, great hands, separates, he’s physical. He’s probably like Tate in the speed department but I like him as a receiver better than Tate. He knows how to get open, set guys up, stop and start, good route runner. He doesn’t have the extra gear but he’s a really good possession receiver.” From South Hill, Wash.
Now Joe knows the Bucs need defense. Hell, Joe wouldn’t lose sleep if the Bucs only drafted the best defensive guy on their board in every round next month, regardless of position. This team not only has a lame defense, but virtually no depth.
But it never hurts to have a big target on offense, a guy comfortable fighting for the ball in traffic and in the red zone.
From what Joe reads, it seems this Boston is likely a second-round pick.
115 seconds of fun Denzel Boston catches pic.twitter.com/i2RPysW8Uu
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) March 19, 2026