What Would The Steelers Get From Washington Receiver Denzel Boston?

The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering a new era in 2026. After Mike Tomlin stepped down as head coach after 19 seasons, the Steelers hired Pittsburgh native and Super Bowl champion Mike McCarthy. The hire deviated from the Steelers’ long-time pattern of having a defensive-minded head coach at the helm.

Perhaps the fact that he has a good relationship with four-time NFL MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers did not hurt.

Indeed, the Steelers have had one of the best defenses in the NFL for years. Now, though, their needs are more dire on the offensive side of the ball, particularly at wide receiver.

One name that online social casinos consistently link to Pittsburgh is Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston.

What would the Steelers get from Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston?

With the door still open for Rodgers to return to Pittsburgh as the starting quarterback in 2026, the Steelers want to get him (or whomever is under center) more weapons in the passing game alongside DK Metcalf.

To that end, Boston is a six-foot-four 210 pound pass catcher who has scored 20 touchdowns over the last two seasons. This past year, he had 62 receptions for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns.

While his numbers are solid, but not flashy, Boston garnered what could be the highest compliment possible from renowned NFL prospect expert Lance Zierlein: a comparison to Los Angeles Rams star Puka Nacua.

“A Puka Nacua comparison might feel strong, but like Nacua, Boston enters the draft with speed/separation concerns and outstanding competitive toughness,” Zierlein wrote.

Damian Parson of Bleacher Report also had high praise for Boston. 

“For a receiver of his size and stature, Boston is surprisingly quick. 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.”

This all being said, Boston needs to learn how to play through early contact and not allow bumps at the line of scrimmage slow him down when plays begin. He is quick and can come down with contested catches, but opposing defensive backs saw success against him in coverage by being physical with him early in his routes.

If Rodgers returns to Pittsburgh in 2026, it will take some time for him to build rapport with any young wide receiver. He would likely, though, love playing with Boston, whose strength is catching contested passes on the boundary, an area of the field Rodgers favors.

Denzel Boston’s Washington Huskies Career Overview

Denzel Boston’s college career at Washington was a steady climb from promising depth piece to focal point of the Huskies’ passing game and a polished NFL-caliber receiver. Across three seasons in Seattle, he paired size and physicality with developing route nuance to become one of the Big Ten’s most productive wideouts after the Huskies’ move from the Pac-12.

Arriving from Emerald Ridge High School in Puyallup, Washington, Boston initially fit the prototype of a local upside swing: big frame, red-zone potential, and special-teams utility while he adjusted to the speed and complexity of college secondaries. Early snaps came behind established veterans, but he flashed in limited action with strong hands and after-the-catch toughness that hinted he could be much more than a rotational outside target. Those early reps laid the foundation for a breakout once the depth chart turned over and Washington’s offense transitioned post–College Football Playoff run.

His 2024 season marked the turning point. Boston emerged as a legitimate every-down option, finishing with 63 receptions for 834 yards and nine touchdowns, production that announced him as a primary read rather than a complementary piece. He proved comfortable working all three levels of the field, winning on back-shoulder fades, digs, and boundary comebacks while also being trusted in the red zone. That versatility forced defensive coordinators to treat him as a true WR1 in game plans, opening space for Washington’s other pass-catchers.

In 2025, Boston elevated again, even as defenses geared coverages toward him. He finished with slightly fewer catches but improved nearly every efficiency marker, posting 881 receiving yards, 14.2 yards per reception, and 11 touchdowns, all career highs. Advanced metrics reflected how refined his game had become: a drop rate around 3.1 percent on 62 receptions underscored his reliability in tight-window situations. He translated that consistency into big-game performances, stringing together outings with high target volume and explosive plays, including multiple 100-yard efforts in conference play.

Beyond the box score, Boston’s physical profile shaped Washington’s identity. At wide receiver, he played with a running-back mentality after the catch, breaking arm tackles and finishing runs through contact. Coaches leaned on him as a perimeter blocker in the Huskies’ varied run and screen game, trusting his strength and competitiveness on the edge. By the end of his junior year, he’d earned third-team All–Big Ten recognition, a nod to his impact in one of the country’s deepest receiver conferences.

After the 2025 campaign, Boston elected to forgo his remaining eligibility and declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, leaving Washington with a sizable void in its receiver room. He exits Seattle as a homegrown star who grew with the program through conference realignment and roster turnover, embodying the Huskies’ physical, pro-ready approach on the perimeter and positioning himself as one of the draft’s more intriguing wideout prospects.