Chiefs draft profile: Denzel Boston could fix a painful WR flaw

When we examine the Kansas City Chiefs’ struggles on offense during the 2025 season, the inability to consistently beat man coverage is a major factor. Even with Patrick Mahomes sidelined at the end of the season, the Chiefs ranked fifth in EPA per dropback against zone coverage. Against man coverage, however, they dropped to 20th with a -0.063 EPA per dropback. The Chiefs have a significant problem with man coverage, and part of that stems from the personnel at the receiver position.

For years, the Chiefs have prioritized speed at the receiver position over almost anything else. Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Xavier Worthy, and Hollywood Brown were all brought in primarily for their ability to stretch the field. The problem is the Chiefs haven’t been good at stretching the field over the last few years. Most of these faster receivers are more vulnerable against man coverage due to their lack of size.

The Chiefs’ best pass catchers over the last few years—Rashee Rice and Travis Kelce—aren’t even the speed threats in the offense. The Chiefs need more physical players at the line of scrimmage who can not only separate quickly against man coverage but also win in tight, contested situations. It’s time for the Chiefs to go get a true X receiver who can do all the big-bodied things they’ve lacked over the last few years.

NFL Draft Profile: Denzel Boston, Wide Receiver, Washington

Age: 22 years old (on draft night)

Height: 6-4

Weight: 209 LBS.

Tape Exposure: Washington State (2025), Michigan (2025), USC (2024)

Shades of: Michael Pittman Jr.

Denzel Boston's background

A native of Puyallup, Washington, Denzel Boston is the son of former NFL All-Pro wide receiver David Boston. Ranked as a consensus three-star recruit by 247Sports, Boston had numerous scholarship offers before committing to Washington in 2021. During the first two years of his career with the Huskies, he played behind the talented trio of Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Jalen McMillan—all top-100 NFL Draft picks.

How Denzel Boston wins as a WR

Ideal Size

Boston uses his 6-4 frame well to win consistently against man coverage on the outside. He has a 93rd-percentile contested catch rate (via PFF) and a 92nd-percentile drop rate at 3.8%. Despite his size, his long speed is above average. He was explosive enough to return punts for the Huskies, including a return touchdown in 2025. Size and speed is a combination that always gets drafted highly.

Blocking

For a receiver to have blocking listed as a strength, it has to be good. Boston is the lead blocking receiver for the Huskies. He is used in goal-line packages and frequently puts defensive backs on the ground in the run game. With a mobile quarterback in 2025, Boston did an excellent job sealing off the edge to create scramble lanes.

Nuance

Boston displays the refined techniques you’d expect from the son of an All-Pro receiver. He frequently finds soft spots in zone coverage and uses space well. He shows a strong set of releases to win against man coverage. He is a strong-hands catcher who tracks the ball well and has excellent spatial awareness on the field.

Where Denzel Boston can improve

YAC Ability

Once the ball is in his hands, Boston has decent speed but doesn’t display much twitch or shiftiness. He isn’t powerful enough to consistently break tackles and isn’t dynamic enough to cut and juke defenders.

Stiffness

Despite his surprising speed for his size, Boston doesn’t have the most fluid hips and can be a bit stiff transitioning in and out of breaks. This impacts his ability to translate speed into explosiveness and limits his effectiveness on in-breaking routes.

Is Denzel Boston what the Chiefs WR room needs?

Boston presents an interesting case for the Chiefs, as he is not a big, lumbering X receiver like DeAndre Hopkins. He does present a downfield threat and offers more separation ability than some other big-bodied receivers. That said, is he a true No. 1 wide receiver—someone who can dominate regardless of coverage? He hasn’t showcased that level of ability yet. However, his traits suggest the potential for that type of player.

Denzel Boston is a smart, well-put-together wide receiver prospect who uses his frame effectively to excel in contested catch situations. He is a classic X receiver and a strong blocker. With limitations in his athletic skill set and creativity after the catch, he may ultimately be capped as a No. 2 wide receiver at the NFL level.

Round Grade: Green Chip (second-round pick)