The Cleveland Browns have the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year on their roster in linebacker Carson Schwesinger. The quick emergence of the No. 33 overall selection helpled the Browns boast one of the strongest — if not the strongest — rookie classes in the league last season.
Doing so again in 2026 with fewer draft picks seemed like a tall order, but the front office may have delivered once again.
The Browns took four potential first-round picks with their first four selections, including Denzel Boston. The star wide receiver out of Washington inexplicably slipped to the second round after being mocked as a Day 1 prospect for most of the pre-draft process. There was no way Andrew Berry could look the other way with him still on the board, even after the Browns had just taken a wide receiver in KC Concepcion 15 picks earlier.
It only took a handful of OTA practices for Boston to generate major buzz in Berea. He's reportedly been one of the Browns' most impressive young players.
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton has certainly noticed — choosing Boston as one of the most likely candidates to win 2026 Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was one of four wide receivers Moton mentioned along with Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, and Antonio Williams.
"At 6'4", 212 pounds, Denzel Boston is physically equipped to be an immediate red-zone threat, which makes him a more likely Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate than fellow rookie wideout KC Concepcion, who's 6'0", 196 pounds," wrote Moton.
The Browns' second-round steal is already drawing lofty expectations
Regardless of who wins the Browns' quarterback competition this summer, whoever is under center will need a reliable target on the outside. Boston projects as that guy.
He has the size and ability to overpower smaller defensive backs, and he doesn't need to be the fastest guy on the field to make an impact. The Browns' offense is full of question marks, so he should have a big role early and often for Todd Monken's team.
Isaiah Bond has reportedly looked sharp in OTAs, and Concepcion should also be heavily involved with his speed and big-play ability. That said, both of them may be more streaky, with Boston developing into the more consistent option.
He doesn't even need to make spectacular catches or have multiple 100-yard games to flirt with 1,000 yards as a rookie. Given his skill set, it wouldn't be shocking to see him haul in 80-plus passes.
He's a mismatch nightmare in the open field and a big body to target in the red zone, with 14 of his 20 touchdown receptions coming in the final 20 yards of the field. Also, his ridiculous catch radius can make any quarterback look good, and with Jerry Jeudy's history of drops, it won't be long before he earns the signal-caller's confidence as the go-to guy in crucial situations.
The Browns stumbled upon a first-round-caliber talent early in the second round, and he's now ready to let the world know that they shouldn't have let him slip that far.
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