Inside The Huskies

Boston Earns Spot on Biletnikoff Watch List

The Husky receiver is one of 62 candidates for the top pass-catcher award.

Dan Raley

Denzel Boston scores against Northwestern, one of his 9 TD catches this season.
Denzel Boston scores against Northwestern, one of his 9 TD catches this season. / Skylar Lin Visuals

They couldn't ignore him any longer.

On Wednesday, the Biletnikoff Award selection committee added University of Washington sophomore wide receiver Denzel Boston to its watch list, making him one of 62 players in the running for an individual honor singling out the nation's top FBS pass-catcher, regardless of position.

The 6-foot-4, 207-pound Boston currently ranks second in the nation in receiving touchdowns with 9 in seven games.

Boston was one of four new players to join the list of candidates this week, along with Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith. Louisville's Ja'Corey Brooks and Middle Tennessee's Omari Kelly, after four others were added the previous week.

Last season, the Biletnikoff Award had a lot of eyes on it from Husky followers with Rome Odunze, now with the Chicago Bears, becoming a semifinalist with Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. and LSU's Malik Nabers, with Harrison the eventual winner.

After playing two seasons behind Odunze and others, Boston became a first-time starter this season and has worked his way into becoming the go-to receiver for Husky quarterback Will Rogers. He's caught a touchdown pass in every game except in the Apple Cup against Washington State.

Boston ranks second in UW receiving with 40 catches for 540 yards, trailing Giles Jackson by 7 catches and 2 yards.

His 9 touchdown catches have move him halfway to breaking Mario Bailey's school record of 18 set in 1991 for the Huskies' national championship team.

In his latest trip to the end zone, Boston caught a 5-yard scoring pass in the second quarter of the UW's 40-16 loss at Iowa.

For the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington

Published
Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

Home/Football