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Washington WR Denzel Boston.
The Las Vegas Raiders have been going all in on offense this offseason. They hired former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as head coach, spent big on center Tyler Linderbaum and are expected to use the No. 1 pick on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
The Raiders had the worst offense in the NFL last season, but they could be much improved in 2026. However, they still have a big need at wide receiver. They signed Jalen Nailor in free agency, who has a lot of potential, but hasn’t had more than 444 receiving yards in a season.
The Raiders could bet on 2025 draftees Jack Bech or Dont’e Thornton, but that seems risky considering neither made much of an impact last season. The team’s first-round pick is spoken for, but they have another pick early in the second round.
In Matt Miller’s recent mock draft for ESPN, he projects the Raiders to select Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston with the No. 36 pick.
“Boston slips through the cracks in this mock draft due to team needs, but he would be a true WR1 in Las Vegas and a perfect pairing with Mendoza,” Miller wrote. “The 6-foot-4, 212-pound Boston caught 11 touchdown passes in 2025 and can win the 50-50 balls that Mendoza excelled with at Indiana.”
Scouting Report on Boston
Boston is an exciting prospect who might not be available in the second round. He’s 6-foot-4 and combined for 20 touchdown catches the last two seasons.
Boston’s size is his most notable attribute, but Bleacher Report’s Damian Parson thinks he has underrated athleticism.
“For a receiver of his size and stature, Boston is surprisingly quick. He runs efficient in-breaker and crossing routes, working into the soft spots of the coverage,” Parson wrote.
The Raiders could use a dependable red zone target in the offense. Parsons pointed out how difficult a matchup he is for smaller cornerbacks.
“Boston stresses defense with his blend of size, physicality, and alignment versatility,” Parson wrote. “He is a matchup nightmare for smaller nickel cornerbacks when aligned in the slot. He uses his strong frame to box defenders out at the catch point on in-breaking routes and is a quarterback-friendly target.”
That said, Boston needs to add more finesse to his route running.
“Boston must continue to display his ability to run a diverse route-tree. He is a physical route-runner, but adding more finesse can enhance his game,” Parson wrote.
Raiders Have Met With Boston
Boston is certainly on the Raiders’ radar. He revealed at Washington’s Pro Day that he has met with Las Vegas.
The Raiders have met with a lot of wide receivers who are expected to be in the second or third round range. The team is clearly at least considering taking a wide receiver with their second pick.
Now, there are plenty of needs all over the roster. The Raiders need a guard and a defensive tackle. Those are high-value positions the team could target. However, nobody would be surprised if they looked to add a young stud wide receiver to pair with Mendoza.
Austin Boyd has covered the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Lakers for Heavy.com since 2019. A Los Angeles native now based in Las Vegas, his featured work at Heavy includes interviews with NFL stars Darren Waller and Joe Montana, and a behind-the-scenes look at “The Shop.” More about Austin Boyd
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