Washington WR Denzel Boston physical ability is a standout quality
A potential first-round pick for the Bills at No. 26 is physical WR Denzel Boston of Washington, who considers himself a great separator.
By trading away the Buffalo Bills’ second-round pick to the Chicago Bears in the DJ Moore deal, president/GM Brandon Beane has created a tricky situation for himself on the first two days of the NFL Draft.
If he stays put at No. 26 in the first round, there’s a good chance he’ll be taking a player who he doesn’t have a first-round grade on because typically no team has more than, say, 15-20 first-round grades in any draft.
However, because the Bills don’t have another pick until the third round at No. 91, unless Beane executes a trade down and out of the first round to situate himself in the second round where there will likely be better value on any player he picks, he may have no choice but to reach slightly at No. 26, and a player who might be worth doing it for is Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston.
Throughout the draft process, Boston has been considered by analysts as a late first- or early second-round prospect which would place him in Buffalo’s wheelhouse if Beane is considering adding another wide receiver to an already crowded room.
Moore, Khalil Shakir and Joshua Palmer are expected to be the Bills’ top three receivers, armed with contracts that dictate they will be on the team and playing a lot. Keon Coleman remains an enigma who Beane and coach Joe Brady continue to say they still believe in. And Trent Sherfield was signed to fill the role of injured Tyrell Shavers as the No. 5 blocking wideout and core special teamer.
That’s why it’s difficult to project the Bills taking a receiver in the first round, especially with some glaring areas that need to be addressed on defense. Now, if Beane and Brady have been gaslighting us for two months with their public shows of faith in Coleman and their plan is to try to trade him for whatever they can get – maybe a sixth-round pick – to open his roster spot, a first-round receiver becomes more plausible.
“He’s going to give you the combination of (size and speed),” NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said of Boston. “He can win at the line of scrimmage against press and he’s a red zone weapon who can play above the rim. He can adjust in the middle of the field, he’s a point scorer. He reminded me a lot of (Denver Bronco) Courtland Sutton.”
At 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds, Boston would bring size and physicality to the position for Buffalo, something Coleman brought when Beane took him at the top of the second round in 2024, though that hasn’t manifested itself in production, especially given his draft status.
Coleman was considered a big-time contested catch receiver at Florida State, but according to Pro Football Focus charting, his success rate was 45.8%. In his two years with the Bills, it has plummeted to 36.4%.
In Boston’s two years as a starter at Washington his contested catch success was 61.1% and he did that with a miniscule 3.6% drop rate. Among the receivers projected to be first-round picks in this draft, only Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson and USC’s Makai Lemon – who most believe will be the first three receivers off the board, all before No. 26 – had better drop percentages than Boston.
When he was asked at the NFL scouting combine which NFL receivers he studies, Boston listed three who are big, physical players – Mike Evans, Tee Higgins and Nico Collins – meaning the type of receiver Josh Allen has never had in Buffalo.
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“I think the physical and dominant traits that I have will translate directly into the game as I get there,” said Boston, who exuded a bubbly personality during his media session. “Also, having a great contested catch rate and low drop rate. You know, we’re receivers, we catch the ball and that’s what we do. I think that’s something that will translate as well.”
He confirmed that he did meet with the Bills in Indianapolis so there is at least some interest, and the reason is partly because Boston was primarily an outside receiver in college. The Bills have Shakir and tight end Dalton Kincaid to operate from the slot, but they need boundary targets who can separate, especially if Moore or Palmer were to get hurt.
“Oh, I believe I can be a great separator at the next level,” Boston said. “I have creativity in my bag that I’m just waiting to be able to use. I believe I’ve displayed that as well.”
On the Check the Mic Show hosted by former PFF analysts Steve Palazzolo and Sam Monson, they agreed that Boston would be a solid choice for Buffalo, even if No. 26 is a slight reach.
“I actually think when you look at his strengths, he’s a perfect fit,” Monson said. “I know Buffalo fans have PTSD over Keon Coleman. But when you look at (Boston’s) strengths, he will get open deep in a way, on the outside against press coverage, that none of the other Bills receivers do. I think his skill set is a perfect complement for what Buffalo has.”
Palazzolo added, “My initial notes, I said I think he’d be a good fit for (Patrick) Mahomes because of (his ability in the scramble drill to get open). Now, of course, Josh Allen lives in the scramble drill world eight to 10 times a game. And I know Boston has been mocked to the Bills at the end of the first round, and I think he’s fine there. I think he’s solid at a lot of things, I think he’s got a really good feel for the position. Scramble drill adjustments are fantastic. Hands are amazing.”
▶ Dane Brugler, The Athletic: “Boston builds his speed with smooth, long strides and naturally adjusts with the hand strength of a ball winner which should quickly earn him the trust of an NFL quarterback. With his ability to win inside or outside, his game has shades of 2025 Houston Texans draft pick Jayden Higgins. A good-sized athlete, Boston plays big and balanced with vacuum hands. He treats the catch point like he’s a power forward in the paint, boxing out and using his rangy frame and focus to secure the football.”
▶ Chris Trapasso, DraftGradeBook: “Overall, Boston projects as a specialized but valuable NFL X receiver whose game is built around size, vertical presence, and contested-catch ability. He isn’t going to win with suddenness or high-level route nuance, but in the right offense – particularly one that leans on isolation routes, backside digs, and schemed vertical shots – he can be a consistent chain mover and periodic splash-play producer.”
Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for more than four decades including 37 years as the full-time beat writer/columnist for the D&C. He has written numerous books about the history of the team, and he is also co-host of the BLEAV in Bills podcast/YouTube show. He can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com, and you can follow him on X @salmaiorana and on Bluesky @salmaiorana.bsky.social.
BOSTON (WHDH) – A pedestrian was hit and killed in Roxbury Thursday morning.
The collision occurred just before 8:20 a.m. on Tremont Street.
Police said Tremont Street was closed in both directions between Brigham Circle and Roxbury Crossing.
This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
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A 96-year-old Boston woman received the surprise of a lifetime when she discovered the French men’s national soccer team had become her neighbors at the Four Seasons Hotel in the Back Bay.
Shirley, a beloved resident of the neighborhood, said she had no idea she would end up meeting the players in town for the World Cup.
“They’re my buddies,” she said with a laugh.
Her caretaker, Samia, said Shirley has become well known around Back Bay.
“Anyone outside, when we are walking, people come to her and want to talk to her,” Samia said.
The U.S. is out of the World Cup. Fellow co-hosts Mexico and Canada are too. So who should
The excitement around the hotel grew after the French team arrived to stay there during the tournament.
Shirley said the encounter happened unexpectedly while she was eating lunch.
“I was having lunch and they came over, and since then, it’s been wonderful to have them here,” she said.
Shirley said team representatives soon invited her to meet the players.
“And they said, ‘He would like to meet you.’ I said, ‘I’m glad to meet anybody,’” she recalled.
For this Massachusetts teenager, attending a World Cup match was more than a dream come true, it was a milestone in a journey that began when he was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma — something that might not have happened if he hadn’t been playing soccer.
After the visit, Shirley recorded a cellphone video sharing her excitement.
“This is absolutely — I cannot tell you how unbelievably fabulous this is,” she said.
The meeting ended with a memorable gift: A jersey from French star Kylian Mbappé.
The team also made her a promise.
“[They] told me that if they win, he will sign it, and then it will be worth a lot of money,” she said, laughing.
Samia, who is from Algeria, quickly agreed. She said she was already a devoted supporter of the French squad after spending many years living in France.
“I’m so excited. I went to Philadelphia to watch the game this past weekend. So, believe me, I’m totally 100% with them. I wanted them to go back to France with a cup,” she said.
Shirley said she never expected to become a fan, but she appreciated the sense of community the tournament brought to her neighborhood.
“It’s good to see such camaraderie happening, with people here getting along. Yeah, it’s the greatest thing,” she said.
She said she still did not know why the team wanted to meet her, but she’s grateful nonetheless. Shirley remains hopeful her new friends would keep winning, and keep returning to Boston.
Local News
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced Wednesday that the city is suing social media companies — including Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube — over their alleged deliberate targeting of minors with addictive features.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Boston Public Schools in federal court in California, will be consolidated with more than 1,500 similar complaints from school districts around the country, Wu’s office said.
The lawsuit seeks to force the companies to remove addictive features and compensate the city for the mental health support needed by students. It alleges the companies designed addictive features specifically to keep young people engaged. These features include endless scrolling, frequent notifications, and personalized algorithms, city officials said.
In a statement, Wu said that these companies have evidence of the harm they are causing to children.
“Boston is taking legal action to protect children and youth and hold these companies accountable. Today, we are making it clear that social media companies must end exploitative practices and be accountable to standards of basic protection for children,” she said.
The move comes as more Massachusetts politicians look to rein in social media companies. The state’s House of Representatives passed a bill in April that would implement a phone ban in schools and prohibit children 14 and younger from using social media. Gov. Maura Healey followed that up by introducing legislation that would require social media companies to verify users’ ages and limit the ways in which minors are exposed to potentially addictive design features.
Just last week, the state Senate unveiled legislation that would require social media companies to automatically disable these types of features for minors.
BPS officials say that they have seen a “significant increase” in social media-fueled mental health needs over the past decade. They cited data from the Boston Public Health Commission that shows the impact on high school students. In 2015, just 26.7% of Boston public high school students reported “persistent sadness.” By 2021, that figure had risen to 43.9%.
The district says it has responded by “exponentially” expanding mental health resources. In 2007, there were six social workers and 48 school psychologists employed in the BPS system. The district now has 240 social workers and 105 school psychologists, officials said.
“We work hard to set our students on the best course for success through rigorous academics and whole-student supports, and the research is clear that social media has had a negative impact on students’ well-being while benefiting companies. We all need to do what is right for our students,” Superintendent Mary Skipper said in a statement.
In March, a jury in California found that Meta and YouTube are liable for intentionally designing addictive features and that executives failed to protect young users.
In May, Meta and other social media companies settled a lawsuit brought by a Kentucky school district in a bellwether case.
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