The Dallas Cowboys have made their intentions clear heading into the draft, zeroing in on defensive line reinforcement. Armed with two first-round picks, Dallas looks primed to plug those gaps, but one NFL analyst believes the franchise could pivot in an unexpected direction.

The Cowboys may be ready to take a different turn than expected during their first round pick, even if it means for them to shift the focus from defense to offense. In fact, one wide receiver has been mentioned among possible picks.

“After finishing last season with one of the worst defenses in franchise history, it makes sense that the Cowboys have been tied to many defensive players with one or both of their picks," Per Tommy Yarrish, staff writer of the Dallas Cowboys. "However, Dallas' brass has held firm that they'll take the best player available, even if it's on offense."

According to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, the Dallas Cowboys are projected to pick the Washington Huskies wide receiver Denzel Boston at No.20.

"Dallas has an interesting choice here between Omar Cooper Jr., who is smaller but came up big for the national champions in 2025, Boston caught 125 passes for 1,715 and 20 TDs over the past two seasons," Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote.

While Omar Cooper is yet to cross the 1,000-yard mark as a receiver, Tetairoa McMillan's 2025 season itself saw him break that barrier.

On the other hand, Denzel Boston's last two years saw him produce over 800 receiving yards, but never touch the 1,000-yard mark.

"Washington coaches who were around Tetairoa McMillan (the 2025 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year) when they were at Arizona say the Panthers' first-rounder is more fluid and has better body control, but Boston is faster and also has strong hands and is very competitive, much like McMillan," Zierlein further wrote.

The writer compared Boston Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, a 2025 first-round pick, suggesting a similar trajectory for a big-bodied receiver.

Over two years with the Washington Huskies, Boston has played a total of 18 games and recorded 7 receptions for 66 yards and one rushing touchdown, before he became a starter.

All this changed in 2024 onwards. Boston made 12 appearances for the Washington Huskies during the 2025 season alone, recording 62 receptions for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns, before he declared for the 2026 NFL draft. 

Denzel Boston’s production of 2025 has made him generate significant interest from teams other than the Dallas Cowboys, highlighting his on-field performance value.

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Teams Lining Up for Wide Receiver Prospect Denzel Boston

Teams such as the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and New Orleans Saints are among those that have already made plans to conduct pre-draft meetings with Denzel Boston, who boasts eye-catching statistics from 2025.

At 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds, Boston's ability to win contested catches makes him a high-demand prospect, per Bleacher Report.

The Buffalo Bills see Denzel Boston as a size threat and red-zone threat to complement QB Josh Allen, addressing their need for a top-tier outside receiver.

The New Orleans Saints view him as a reliable second target alongside wide receiver Chris Olave, adding depth and contested-catch ability to their offense.

Meanwhile, the Miami Dolphins could use Boston to shape their young passing game, giving quarterback targets who excel in intermediate and red-zone situations.

With the Bills, Saints, and Dolphins targeting Denzel Boston, the Dallas Cowboys must step up their aggressiveness in case they are going to use their first-round pick on an offense, as projected by analysts.

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote