The New England Patriots made some major renovations to their receiver room last offseason, but it may still not have been enough. The additions of Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins were successful ones, while third-round pick Kyle Williams made his presence felt in minimal snaps.
Even UDFA Efton Chism III has his moments, with a first-down catch in the wildcard matchup against the Chargers.
All six wideouts rostered last season are under contract as things stand. Diggs has been listed as a potential cut candidate, however, and trade rumors have encircled Pop Douglas as of late. Regardless of their fates, the Patriots should be looking to make further additions to surround Drake Maye with the best possible cache of weapons.
In a recent article from NBC Sports Boston's Justin Leger, he listed a pair of receivers as Dan Bruger's "Vrabel guys": Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. and Washington's Denzel Boston.
What exactly is meant by a player being a "Vrabel guy"?
A "Vrabel guy", at wide receiver, would no doubt have a sizable frame. The two times his squad has taken a receiver in the first two rounds, both were 6-foot-1 or taller and weighed at least 220 pounds (Treylon Burks, No. 18, and A.J. Brown, No. 51). Cooper stands at 6 feet even, while Boston stands at 6-foot-4, and neither reaches the 220-pound threshold.
The bigger receiver archetype has gained some hype in New England over the past few months. An organization that has historically relied on quick slot options instead relied on deep threats with big frames: Mack Hollins and Kayshon Boutte each had excellent seasons.
The successes of receivers New England has hardly invested in ($4.2 million per season and a 6th round pick) have given fans the belief that a player like Alec Pierce could be a solid addition in free agency, and if they'd like a player of a similar ilk, Cooper or Boston could be viable options.
Could the Patriots draft Omar Cooper or Denzel Boston?
Cooper finished the season with 937 yards from 69 catches this year, but his most impressive stat may be his 13 touchdowns. He ran an official 4.42 at the NFL Combine this past week, nearly as fast as Williams' 4.40 last year.
He won the National Championship with IU, finishing the championship game with 5 catches for 71 yards.
A 10-catch, 207-yard performance with 4 touchdowns against Indiana State in September, no doubt boosts his stats, but he had a touchdown in six of his last seven games. He took only three carries this year, but one of them went for a 75-yard touchdown against Kennesaw State. His speed and 6-foot frame make him a fascinating prospect.
Boston had a near-identical 2025 to his 2024 season. This past season, he finished with 62 catches for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns. He had one more catch, 47 fewer yards, and two fewer touchdowns the season prior.
Against No. 23 Illinois, Boston had his best game of the season. He had 10 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown, a far more legitimate defense than that of Indiana State's. Nonetheless, Boston struggled against a pair of top ten opponents.
He had 7 catches for 51 yards combined against No. 3 Ohio State and No. 6 Oregon, as the Huskies averaged just 10 PPG across the two matchups.
Whether they opt for Cooper or Boston, the Patriots would be getting a big play threat. 52.7% of Cooper's receiving production came as YAC, while 34.6% of Boston's yards came after the catch, but Boston still trumped him in yards per catch.
The Patriots need an upgrade at receiver, and while my preference between the two would be Cooper, Boston could also make a viable deep threat for Maye going into 2026.