Former Washington Huskies Wide Receiver Leads Rookies in Several Stats

The Washington Huskies football team saw several players go to the NFL in the 2026 draft, and one of those players is making the case as the best rookie at his position.

Wide receiver Denzel Boston has been one of the go-to targets for the Cleveland Browns and quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Boston was picked in the second round of the 2026 draft and was the Huskies' highest-selected player.

Boston has suited up in all five of the Browns' games this season and has recorded at least 41 yards receiving in all five contests. This season, Boston has reeled in 16 passes on 29 targets for 330 yards and three touchdowns.

The rookie wideout's numbers were highlighted in a post on "X" by the Washington football team's official account, as well as where his numbers rank among fellow rookies and the rest of the NFL.

Boston's 20.6 yards per reception leads the NFL. His yards and receiving touchdowns are the most among rookies and 16th and tied for 12th in the NFL, respectively.

At his current pace, the 6-foot-4, 215-pound wideout would finish his first year as a professional with 54 catches for 1,122 yards (20.7 yards per catch) and 10 touchdowns. He's currently an early favorite for Offensive Rookie of The Year.

Boston emerged from being buried on the depth chart in a stacked wide receiver room with the Huskies to being one of the go-to deep threats in the Big Ten his final two years in college, which led to him being a highly-regarded prospect going into the draft.

Boston, a Boise, Idaho, native who attended Emerald Ridge High School in Puyallup, Wash., was a three-star recruit in the Class of 2022. In his first three seasons with Washington, he was hardly used by former head coach Kalen DeBoer and sat behind talented wide receivers and future NFL draft picks such as Rome Odunze, Ja'Lynn Polk, Jalen McMillan and Germie Bernard.

Bernard followed DeBoer to the Alabama Crimson Tide via the transfer portal and was selected in the draft this year.

Rather than enter the transfer portal after DeBoer left the Huskies for the Tide, Boston stayed in the Pacific Northwest and emerged under new and current head coach Jedd Fisch.

In his final two years of college ball, Boston finished with 125 catches for 1,715 yards and 20 touchdowns. He was third-team All-Big Ten in 2025 and led the team in receiving yards and touchdowns the same year.