A mock draft released Sunday by CBS Sports NFL writer Zachary Pereles sent the New England Patriots up three spots, from No. 31 to No. 28, in a deal with the Houston Texans. The projected move would send Houston picks No. 31 and No. 125, with Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston coming back to New England.
Pereles described Boston as a 6-4, 210-pound receiver who can win downfield and help as a blocker, saying Mike Vrabel would love that part of his game. He also wrote that Boston could become a major target for Drake Maye if the Patriots secure him. That was the draw in the projection: not just size, but a fit that could give Maye a reliable weapon in the passing game.
Boston spent four seasons at Washington, appearing in 43 games and finishing with 1,781 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. He spoke to reporters at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Feb. 27, 2026, but the Patriots scenario remains only a mock-draft forecast, not a completed trade. Around the league, teams are also watching to see whether New England tries to land Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown before the draft, and if that pursuit never gets off the ground, a move up in the first round would be one way to chase help at receiver.
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For now, the point is simple: if the Patriots want a bigger target for Maye, Boston fits the profile. Whether they pay the price to get him will say more about how aggressively they plan to build around their quarterback than any mock draft ever could.
