Former teammates, future rivals? Denzel Boston and Tacario Davis both balling in OTAs

In the span of just over two hours on April 24, wide receiver Denzel Boston and cornerback Tacario Davis went from Washington teammates to divisional rivals in the NFL’s gritty AFC North. Boston was drafted early in the second round (39th overall) by the Cleveland Browns, and 32 picks later, the Cincinnati Bengals selected Davis with pick 72. 

With Boston expected to jump into Cleveland’s starting receiver rotation alongside first-round pick KC Concepcion, and Davis joining a reforming Cincinnati defense, there’s certainly potential for the two rookies to face off during the teams’ two annual regular season games. And given the results of both teams’ OTA practices, fans should be looking forward to all future clashes between these two former Huskies teammates.

Denzel Boston is imposing himself during Browns OTA workouts

Boston’s NFL Draft experience defied many Husky fans’ expectations, as he slipped outside a first round in which five receivers were drafted. His eventual selection in the second round may also have surprised Browns fans, as Cleveland had already spent a first-round pick (No. 24 overall) on Texas A&M’s Concepcion. 

However, the results from Cleveland’s spring practice indicate that Boston may have been the right pickup for the Browns after all. He blew coaches and fans away on just the second day of OTAs when he beat starting cornerback Tyson Campbell (who had safety help over the top) for an impressive 35-yard touchdown:

Boston’s display of agility and acceleration–an area of perceived weakness for him ahead of the draft–had first-year head coach Todd Monken smiling ear-to-ear during a press appearance shortly afterward:

“That was awesome, wasn’t it? Wasn’t that cool?” the former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator said. “I know I’m an offensive coach, but hell!”

Monken’s opinion matters most, but he’s not the only one impressed with Boston. Breiden Fehoko, a former NFL defensive tackle and the host of The Fehoko Show, gave Boston a ringing endorsement on a May 13 episode of the Honor The Land podcast:

“Denzel Boston has strong hands at the point of contact,“ Fehoko said. “And when I watch him, his route-running is so underrated.”

Fehoko went on to explain his belief that Monken’s NFL-style scheme will benefit Boston by giving him more time to run routes downfield.

“He’s going to have opportunities very similar to Justin Jefferson with the Minnesota Vikings and the Kevin O’Connell West Coast scheme,” Fehoko said. “Todd Monken is going to get under center. He’s going to implement a really good run game. And on top of that, the play-action game Todd Monken is going to incorporate will be cool.”

If Boston can reach his full potential with Monken and the Browns, the rest of the league–especially the AFC North–should beware. Standing nearly 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Boston has the physical potential to overwhelm opposing cornerbacks. And speaking of opposing cornerbacks…

Tacario Davis could be Cincinnati's solution to Denzel Boston

If anyone’s big enough to shut down Boston, it’s former Arizona and Washington cornerback Tacario Davis. He measured into the NFL Scouting Combine at 6-foot-3 ⅞ with 33 ⅜ -inch arms and a 80 ⅞ -inch wingspan, leading attending cornerbacks in all three categories. 

After further impressing scouts by recording a 4.41-second 40-yard dash, Davis was taken by the Bengals early in Round 3 of April’s draft. And according to Bengals senior writer Geoff Hobson, he’s already making plays.

“Third-round pick Tacario Davis had a hand in the play of the day at cornerback during seven-on-seven when he broke on a pass over the middle ticketed to wide receiver Jordan Moore,” Hobson wrote on June 1. “The 6-foot-4 Davis used that 80-inch wingspan to go over Moore's back and tip the ball up in the air, and vet linebacker Oren Burks came up with the first pick of the spring.”

Despite his early success in camp, Davis likely won’t begin the season as one of Cincinnati’s starting cornerbacks. Starters DJ Turner II and Dax Hill are both returning, and Davis has his own weaknesses to address before he’s truly NFL-ready. His slow hips in transition, which can limit his ability to stick with receivers as they break across his face, will certainly be a point of emphasis for his new Bengals coaches this offseason.

However, if Cincy’s coaching staff can fix Davis’ coverage weaknesses, they’ll certainly want to get his gamechanging frame into the starting lineup. By shifting Hill inwards to nickelback, where he’s had success in the past, the Bengals could get their three best cornerbacks onto the field at the same time. James Rapien of the Enter the Jungle Show is intrigued by the idea:

Given the size of the receivers Cincinnati must face off against, that strategy might be a good one. They’ll face Boston, Pittsburgh’s DK Metcalf, and Baltimore’s Ja’Kobi Lane–all of whom are above 6-foot-3–twice each in the regular season. With Hill and Turner standing 6-foot-0 and 5-foot-11 respectively, the Bengals would certainly benefit from Davis’ size on the outside.

Even if it takes a while for Davis to work his way into the starting lineup, he won’t face Boston’s Browns until Dec. 6. The Bengals will visit Cleveland in Week 13, and will then host the Browns in Cincinnati for a Week 18 regular season finale. By then, both rookies will likely be battle-tested, and ready for what could become a lasting rivalry between two college teammates seeking glory at the highest level.

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