For a franchise that has historically struggled with early draft picks, the Cleveland Browns appear to have found their newest deep ball threat in former Washington Huskies star Denzel Boston. After leading his team in receiving yards and hauling in his first career touchdown during their season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the second-round pick once again proved why he was such a highly touted prospect coming out of college in Cleveland's Week Two win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
On Sunday, the former Husky led the game in receiving yards, recording 5 receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown. The rookie's second career trip to the end zone came on a 55-yard touchdown after slipping three Tampa Bay defenders on his way to paydirt.
The score knotted the game at 16 apiece and helped propel Cleveland to a 23-19 victory.
Boston was quarterback Deshaun Watson's go-to guy in the contest with seven targets, and is tied with fellow rookie teammate KC Concepcion for the most targets on the season for Cleveland with 11. Although just two weeks into their rookie campaign, the young tandem has emerged as explosive playmakers for a Cleveland offense that has been desperately looking for a spark in the passing game.
Despite being a projected first-round pick by many draft experts, the All-Big Ten Third Team honoree slipped into the second round as the sixth receiver off the board, and the second taken by Cleveland. Once he arrived at training camp, however, it didn't take long for the organization and local media to realize why the 6-foot-4 pass catcher had so much entering the draft.
In his final year on Montlake, the in-state product of Emerald Ridge High School boasted an astounding 62 receptions for 881 yards and eleven touchdowns. After spending three years in Seattle and two as the primary receiver in Jedd Fisch's offense, Boston finished No. 8 in program history in career receiving touchdowns and No. 6 for single-season touchdown catches.
In just a few months, he's already become a bright spot for a Browns fan base that is once again enduring a bit of a transition period. With inconsistent play at quarterback and along the offensive line, the pair of early-round draft picks in Boston and Concepcion have shown early signs of being the cornerstones of the offense moving forward.
With Cleveland set to host the Carolina Panthers in Week Three, the Washington product will have another opportunity to shine against a defense that is susceptible to giving up big plays. While any chance at a playoff appearance or competitive season may seem like a long shot for the franchise, there is certainly growing excitement that it hit the jackpot with its second-round selection.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Former Washington Football Star Shines In Cleveland Browns Week 2 Win
