The Baltimore Ravens have possibly one of their biggest drafts in recent memory coming up. It’ll be the first under their new coaching regime led by head coach Jesse Minter, and one coming off a horrific 2025 season where they finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs. With Lamar Jackson getting closer to 30, the Ravens need to figure everything out soon.
Both of Baltimore’s top draft needs surround Jackson: interior offensive line and wide receiver. They’ve made it clear they’re focusing on building the best team around their two-time MVP this offseason, and the offense needs to be a heavy emphasis in this year’s draft.
Given the Ravens having an overwhelming need at wideout, there’s almost no way they could go wrong if they go that route in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, Washington’s Denzel Boston is definitely a riskier option, and it’s Baltimore that Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton believes is the best landing spot for him.
“Instead of signing another big-bodied receiver past his prime, as they did with Hopkins last offseason, the Ravens should target one of the bigger receivers in this class.”
“At 6'4", 212 pounds, Denzel Boston has an NFL-ready frame, and he has the touchdown production that indicates the Ravens can feature him in the red zone.”
Baltimore Ravens can’t afford to take the risk on Denzel Boston
To be fair, Boston is ranked 48th on Bleacher Report’s big board. In their case, it’d likely be a second-round selection with Baltimore’s pick at 45. However, Boston has also gotten mostly first-round hype throughout the draft process. Whatever pick it is, it’d be a risk at 14 and a risk at 45. The Ravens cannot take that risk.
Boston does offer Lamar Jackson the size he needs on the outside. The only consistent weapon he has right now is Zay Flowers, who stands at 5-foot-9. But while Boston has that height advantage on opposing defensive backs at 6-foot-4, he comes with his fair share of flaws.
The Washington product has a ton of trouble finding any separation. His release is very lackluster and can be bogged down by press coverage, and his routes don’t have much craftsmanship. He couldn’t win much open space at the collegiate level, so there’s a very valid concern that he’ll have a ton of trouble against NFL competition. His production could take a significant downturn in the pros.
While Jackson’s ball placement has become elite over the past few seasons, and he could definitely find a way to get the ball into Boston’s hands, it wouldn’t really put the Ravens’ offense under new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle over the top.
They’ll be hunting explosive plays in 2026, while also simplifying decision-making. Adding a player in Boston who doesn’t necessarily get himself open quickly wouldn’t really help in that aspect.
Of course, there’s some merit in having Boston ranked highly in this year’s draft. With his excellent size and athleticism, his ceiling is very high. His floor is very low, though, and for an organization in dire need of wide receiver production, it may not be worth using high draft capital on him. Perhaps they should opt for a player like Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson instead if he’s available at 14.