> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Camp Takeaways: Huskies No. 1 Receiver Nears Return as Freshman Continues Rise - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/camp-takeways-huskies-no-1-receiver-nears-return-freshman-continues-rise/ - Published: 2025-08-13T01:51:44.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T05:36:47.000Z - Author: Aaron Coe - Tags: Analysis, Washington Football, Huskies, Denzel Boston, Dezmen Roebuck, Rashid Williams, Kevin Cummings \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4030"\] ![ Washington Huskies wide receiver Denzel Boston (12) practices on Tuesday, August 12 at University of Washington east practice field in Seattle. Credit: Aaron Coe/Emerald City Spectrum ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/boston-2-format-original.jpg) Washington Huskies wide receiver Denzel Boston (12) practices on Tuesday, August 12 at University of Washington east practice field in Seattle. Credit: Aaron Coe/Emerald City Spectrum \[/caption\] SEATTLE, Wash. — The Washington Huskies’ battle for playing time at receiver has been perhaps the fall’s biggest storyline, but the man at the top will soon be back to further shake things up. Denzel Boston, held out of team drills in both spring and fall practices, said he expects to return to full practices on Thursday. The team took extra caution with Boston, who was out, he said Tuesday, with a sports hernia. Though he hasn’t been on the field as much as he would have liked this fall, the time has not been wasted. “I’ve been able to expand my leadership role when it comes to being more of a vocal leader in the room,” said Boston, a 6-4 junior. “Not only that, I’ve been able to sit back, and when I watch film — or when I’m watching film of the NFL guys — I could really analyze it, take it to my brain and put it on the field mentally before I could put it on the field physically.” UW wide receiver coach Kevin Cummings has seen the leadership growth in Boston, who just two years ago was a freshman behind three NFL-bound receivers. Suddenly, he’s the one that a mostly youthful group of pass catchers looks to for guidance. “He’s doing everything he’s supposed to do,” said Cummings, who came to Washington with head coach Jedd Fisch in 2024\. “He’s become the leader that I asked to be over the offseason. He knows our playbook inside and out, and then when he gets out there on the field and does the stuff that he does, he looks like the No. 1 guy.” \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1755"\] ![ Washington Huskies receiver Denzel Boston speaks with the media after practice Tuesday, August 12, 2025 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. Credit: Aaron Coe/Emerald City Spectrum ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/img_8558-format-original.jpg) Washington Huskies receiver Denzel Boston speaks with the media after practice Tuesday, August 12, 2025 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. Credit: Aaron Coe/Emerald City Spectrum \[/caption\] Boston looked the part of a future top receiver during 2023 practices, but was playing behind three 2024 NFL draft picks in Rome Udunze (Round 1, ninth overall), Ja’Lynn Polk (Round 2), and Jalen McMillan (Round 3). Boston has stayed in contact with the 2023 triumvirate as he’s evolved into the one teammates look up to. Boston broke out in the first season under Fisch, catching 63 passes for 834 yards and a team-high nine touchdowns. Expectations are even higher for his junior season. He’s shown up on 2026 NFL mock draft lists as a potential first-round pick, and was recently one of 47 college players named to the Biletnikoff Award watch list. Odunze finished second to Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2023 for the award that goes to college football’s “outstanding college football receiver.” “I look back at it and I’m like, ‘Dang, where did the time go?‘” Boston said. “I remember calling the older guys unc and grandpa and stuff. Now the young guys call me that.” While Boston was tabbed as the starter at the X position by Fisch before camp started, Rashid Williams seems to be the front runner on the other side at the Z. Penn State senior transfer Omari Evans has made a strong push for the slot position, and could also spell Williams on the outside. While Boston and Evans have starting experience, the remainder of the Washington receiver room has yet to play many snaps in a college football game. Williams got into all 13 games last season, compiling 138 yards on 11 receptions. “The guys in front of us, I just tried to soak up everything I could and take their game and put it into my game,” Williams said. Williams, who redshirted in 2023, learned from the same guys as did Boston during the team’s run to the College Football Playoff title game. He’s also seen Boston take the next step. “He’s always there to lift you up if you need it, get on you if you need it,” Williams said. “It’s just great having him there as a role model and stuff, and a leader to look up to.” ### Dezmen Roebucks Just Keeps Making Catches As we mentioned in [Monday’s Top 10 risers from fall camp video](https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/home/top-10-risers-washington-huskies-2025-fall-camp), true freshman Dezmen Roebuck is making a push to earn time along with Boston, Williams, and Evans. One of five true freshmen receivers, Roebuck continues to make plays despite being the lowest-ranked recruit of the group. Coaches noticed immediately, putting him in with the first and second team offensive units in the early days of camp. He’s among a long list of players vying for inclusion in a receiver rotation that Fisch usually keeps to four during meaningful parts of games. “He has just gotten here, and there’s so much for him to learn,” Cummings said. “But the thing about him is he’s just a competitor and a ball player.” Roebuck, at 5-11, 175 pounds, was not highly recruited at Marana High School in Arizona despite finishing with a state record career 352 receptions. He was not offered by the new staff at Arizona, which is about 25 miles away from Roebuck’s high school. Fisch, who left Arizona for Washington after the 2023 season, knew him well, though, and Boston likes what he’s seen so far. “His ball tracking ability is very special,” Boston said. “He’s definitely showing it on the field.” ### Geirean Hatchett Full Go Starting right guard Geirean Hatchett went down in Saturday’s scrimmage with what initially looked to be a serious injury. He walked off with the help of trainers and was later seen walking on his own as the scrimmage continued. The senior guard was all the way back on Tuesday, running with the first-team offense in drills and team sessions. ### Mills Rise Continues Another player mentioned in [Monday’s Top 10 risers from fall camp video](https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/home/top-10-risers-washington-huskies-2025-fall-camp), true freshman guard John Mills, continues to push left guard Paki Finau for a starting spot. Mills again spent significant time with the ones, while Finau spent more time than usual with the twos. [Huskies offensive line coach Michael Switzer said Thursday](https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/home/camp-takeways-huskies-offensive-line-continues-shape-up) that he’d be moving some pieces around to build depth and versatility, but it will be interesting to see who jogs out with the first unit at Saturday’s mock game and later for the Aug. 30 opener against Colorado State. ### Defense Starts Strong on Tuesday While the offense was strong at times during Saturday’s scrimmage, the defense started out hot at Tuesday’s practice, which saw temperatures that got up into the mid-80s by the time practice ended at about 12:30 p.m. Starting cornerback Tacario Davis intercepted Demond Williams Jr. passes intended for Rashid Williams and Roebuck. Williams did respond later with some nice passes, including a ball for a long gain to Audric Harris. Starting box safety Alex McLaughlin showed he’s more than a heavy hitter, knocking away a couple of passes against the No. 1 offense. Safety Makell Esteen, continuing to play as the starting post safety, also had an interception. Junior linebacker Xe’ree Alexander, who’s been making a push for playing time, read two plays well and got into the backfield for tackles for losses. ### Some Gross Kicks Senior kicker Grady Gross continues to put pretty much everything through the uprights during team sessions. Though the kickers and punters are usually on a different field during practice, Gross has been attempting kicks during practice more often lately when the offense is stopped. He went 3-for-3 during practice Tuesday, hitting from 43, 42 and 31 yards.