The Cleveland Browns have made multiple changes to the roster this offseason, with the 2026 NFL Draft being one of the biggest outlets for this team.
The Browns selected 10 players back in April, with Spencer Fano and KC Concepcion coming in the first round. Both helped fill major holes on the roster. Although Concepcion was a first-round pick, fellow receiver Denzel Boston is already turning heads in Cleveland's building and, per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, is drawing comparisons to Carolina Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan.
"With Boston, it’s been to the point where the Browns can’t see a reason why he shouldn’t be every bit as impactful as Concepcion, though he’s a very different style of player. Whereas Concepcion is the explosive, run-after-catch type, Boston is the big-bodied, outside-the-numbers genre. He’s already earned the trust of the team’s three quarterbacks, runs better than you’d expect of a guy his size and, coming out of the same college offense Tetairoa McMillan did a year ago, he has drawn internal comparison to the young Panthers star."
Considering that McMillan was the 2025 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, this is the kind of praise that fans love to hear.
Denzel Boston just earned praise Browns fans will be excited about
McMillan and Boston have very similar body types. McMillan is listed at 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds; meanwhile, Boston is at 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds. They are both physical receivers who use their size to win on the outside, and McMillan was stellar as a rookie.
Across 17 games with the Panthers, he finished with 70 catches (122 targets) for 1,014 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He was the go-to option in that aerial attack, showcasing that style of play is transferable to the NFL, even as a rookie.
Boston comes into 2026 with the chance to make a serious impact on this offense, and he's wasting no time standing out. And the fact that he's doing this before pads even come on is impressive. Even though Cleveland doesn't know who their starting quarterback will be, Boston is building strong connections with Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel.
No matter who ends up being the starter, Boston is making sure he'll be able to connect with whoever's under center. It also works in his favor that his skill set is different compared to the other receivers on the roster.
Even if Boston doesn't put up the same stats that McMillan posted during his Rookie of the Year campaign, it seems obvious that he will be a featured option in this offense.
People inside the building are pumped about the impact that Boston will have on this offense, and it appears he's already drawing comparisons to a former Rookie of the Year winner, which is a fantastic start to his career. It shows how it's being looked at, and it's in a positive light.
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