Denzel Boston
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University of Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston.
With the No. 23 overall pick in the 1st round of the 2026 NFL draft, the Philadelphia Eagles have long been thought to be outside the range where the 3 surefire 1st-round wide receivers would fall: USC’s Makai Lemon, Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson.
In a bit of a plot twist, that’s not necessarily going to stop the Eagles from still taking a wide receiver in the 1st round, with ESPN’s Peter Schrager predicting they will take University of Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston with the 23rd pick
“Boston is electric, and Washington coach Jedd Fisch and Eagles general manager Howie Roseman are longtime college buddies,” Schrager wrote on Tuesday in his 1st mock draft. “Some NFL sources I have spoken to have Boston as the second or third wideout in this class. And if the Eagles take him, A.J. Brown‘s future becomes all the more interesting.”
Schrager’s mock drafts have long been held in a little higher esteem because of his approach, where he openly tries to take all of his own personal feeling and favorites out of the mix and goes strictly by what he’s hearing either from or about where the teams are landing. So he gains extra points for being objective.
Huskies Continually Produce NFL Wide Receivers
Boston, 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds, played behind future NFL wide receivers Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan, and Ja’Lynn Polk his first 2 seasons before becoming a starter in 2024, and had a breakout season with 62 receptions for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns in 12 games in 2025.
Over his last 2 seasons, Boston had 125 receptions for 1,715 yards and 20 touchdowns.
“Denzel Boston checks a lot of the boxes … ” The Dirty Dawgs wrote on its official X account. ” … Size. Physicality. Toughness. Ball skills.”
Lofty Comparison to NFL All-Pro Wide Receiver
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein compared him to another former Washington wide receiver in Puka Nacua, a 2-time NFL All-Pro and 2-time Pro Bowler who led the NFL in receptions in 2025.
Nacua, who finished his career at BYU, was a 5th round pick (No. 177 overall) by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2023 NFL draft.
“(Boston) is a two-year starter with elite ball skills that should supersede athletic/speed limitations,” Zierlein wrote. “A Puka Nacua comparison might feel strong, but like Nacua, Boston enters the draft with speed/separation concerns and outstanding competitive toughness. Boston gets off the line with good burst and maintains his top speed throughout the route. He could have issues beating press, but releases can also be schemed. He’s very skilled when it comes to winning jump balls and contested throws. Boston also knows how to win in the red zone. Acclimating to NFL competition could take a year, but Boston has the makeup to become a productive possession target with above-average red-zone value.”
Eagles Preparing for Massive Move on Offense
The Eagles seem like they are headed toward trading 3-time NFL All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown, who has openly expressed his displeasure with Philadelphia’s offense over the last 2 years.
While the Eagles aren’t in a position to trade Brown before June 1, if they do take a wide receiver in the 1st round, we can take that as a clear signal Brown is about to be on the move via a trade.