FOX Sports Digital
LOS ANGELES — Denzel Boston wanted to play quarterback. His favorite player was Michael Vick, and he wore a Vick No. 7 jersey growing up in Puyallup, Washington, a half-hour drive south of Seattle. But as he took snaps from center in youth football under the watchful gaze of father Chris, Boston told me he wanted to wear receiver gloves like his older brother Andrew, who developed into a talented and productive receiver at Eastern Washington. Boston’s father wasn't having it. "I wanted to wear gloves, but my dad was like, ‘You’re not wearing gloves at quarterback,’" Boston told me recently at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere. "So, I switched to receiver." The move proved a wise choice for Boston, who developed into an explosive receiver for the University of Washington and was selected in the second round of this year’s draft by the Cleveland Browns. And over the last month, Boston has produced his fair share of highlight-reel plays during organized team activities for the Browns, creating a buzz for what the rookie can do once the season rolls around in September. At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Boston’s size and physicality stand out at the next level. Boston routinely defeated smaller corners by bullying them at the catch point and snatching the ball away on contested catch opportunities in college. He finished with 125 catches for 1,715 yards and 20 touchdowns during his final two seasons for the Huskies. For Boston, the goal is to continue that dominant trend as a big-bodied, big-play receiver in the pros. "It comes when the DB is playing you tight, and you’ve got to swipe by with some type of hand-to-hand combat," Boston told me when asked about his physicality. "Or, you’ve got to shut him off to get that over-the-shoulder ball. I also think understanding your skill set is a big thing as well. I’m not a 5-11 receiver. I’m not going to move like one, either. So, it’s understanding that I have my dominant traits, and I need to use those dominant traits to empower myself on the field." Ricky Proehl, a former NFL receiver and current head coach of the UFL's St. Louis Battlehawks, worked with Boston in the lead-up to the draft. Proehl said Boston is a highly talented and motivated pass catcher who should blossom into a productive receiver at the next level. "He’s gifted. Great hands. Good route runner and explosive coming off the ball," Proehl told me. "He’s a big receiver with a big catching radius. The thing that impressed me the most is for a taller guy, he can drop his weight and change direction like a smaller guy. "You feel his explosiveness coming off the ball, but he can drop his weight and change direction. He’s special, and he can make an immediate impact." Proehl compared Boston to another physical freak coming out of college in former Pittsburgh Steeler Martavis Bryant. However, Proehl offered one weakness that Boston needs to work on — he cares...
