Official team activities (OTAs) are an important part of the offseason for rookies as they prepare for their first season after the NFL draft.
As the Cleveland Browns look to overhaul their passing attack, that statement is incredibly true for former Washington Huskies star turned second-round pick in the 2026 draft, Denzel Boston. The 6-foot-4, 209-pound receiver shockingly slid out of the first round despite a productive career at UW, where he posted 132 catches for 1,781 yards and 20 touchdowns over four years.
Now, alongside first-round pick K.C. Concepcion, Boston’s game hasn’t needed a lot of time to adjust to the physicality of the NFL, and it doesn’t matter if he’s working with Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson at quarterback as they battle for the starting job.
“For me, it was just coming out with confidence and knowing that I’m supposed to be here,” Boston said in an interview on the Cleveland Browns’ YouTube page. “I’ve worked all this time to be here, I deserve to be here, coming out here and not being scared. Just coming out here to play football and do what I’ve been doing my whole life, and putting out a good first impression that I’m here to do whatever I can to help this team win.”
While it didn’t take long for Boston to turn heads with his ability to win contested catches thanks to his size, strength, and physicality at the catch point, he’s also stood out as a blocker, something that Jedd Fisch’s coaching staff took a lot of pride in while working with him for two seasons in Seattle.
“(Wide receivers coach Christian Jones) said, ‘You’ve gotta block otherwise the rock’s not going to come,'” Boston continued. “I think just paying attention to detail when I’m supposed to be taking those deep blocks, helping the running back make big plays, that’s only going to make the team better, so that’s how I take it.”
With several steps to go in the preseason process, Boston’s early impression is a great sign as the Browns look to improve on a depressing passing game. Three quarterbacks were able to account for just 2,807 yards last year with 16 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
