Denzel Boston Declares for 2026 NFL Draft, Top Landing Spots for B/R's No. 7 WR

Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston announced Wednesday he's declaring for the 2026 NFL draft.

Boston caught 125 passes for 1,715 yards and 20 touchdowns over the last two seasons. He sits No. 42 overall and seventh among wideouts in Bleacher Report's 2026 big board.

Beyond his relatively high ranking, the Huskies standout is striking while the iron is hot. Receiver is an area of focus for nearly half the league in B/R's most recent draft needs projection.

From that group, the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots stand out.

It might be too early to give up on Keon Coleman entirely, but the 2024 second-round pick hasn't filled the void left by Stefon Diggs for the Bills. Coleman has receptions for 911 yards and eight touchdowns in Buffalo, and he hasn't consistently done all of the little things behind the scenes.

The Titans and Patriots have young quarterbacks in Cam Ward and Drake Maye, respectively, and could use a No. 1 wideout who fits with their timeline. In the case of New England, Diggs has been a solid short-term solution, but he's not the dynamic target he was during his peak with the Bills and Minnesota Vikings.

Like Buffalo, the Niners recently made a sizable draft investment in the position. Ricky Pearsall was a first-rounder in 2024. With Brandon Aiyuk potentially on the way out, San Francisco may still look for a suitable replacement.

Coincidentally, B/R NFL scout Damian Parson compared Boston to Coleman in his scouting report.

"For a receiver of his size and stature, Boston is surprisingly quick," Parson said when elaborating on one of his strengths. "He runs efficient double moves, displaying his ability to sink his hips and drive out of the break to pull away from defenders. Boston's routes are run with intent. As a result, he creates separation against man-to-man coverage. His short-area quickness as a route-runner places defensive backs in conflict when left on an island."

Ohio State's Carnell Tate (8.3) and Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson (8.3) are the highest-graded receivers on B/R's big board. Texas A&M's KC Concepcion (8.0) and USC's Makai Lemon (8.0) also cracked the top 20 overall.

For general managers who aren't enamored with the biggest names at the position, Boston could be an attractive target late in Day 1 or early into the second round.