The San Francisco 49ers made quite the polarizing pick with the first selection of the second round in this year's NFL Draft, opting to take De'Zhaun Stribling. The pick was considered a confusing one mostly due to the fact that Stribling could have been had much later in the draft, yet the Niners practically spent a first-rounder on the guy.
Needless to say, rival teams are still laughing it up. Ernesto Cova of 12th Man Rising, FanSided's Seattle Seahawks site, is having a ton of fun at the 49ers' expense, pointing out that there's been little-to-no buzz about Stribling during the Niners' offseason practices.
"Fast forward to today, and it feels like that move has gone completely under the radar. No rave reviews from spring workouts, not even worrisome reports. It's starting to feel as if everyone just decided to ignore the 49ers' head-scratching gamble," Cova wrote. "The mere fact that we haven't heard anything about him or his privileged physique speaks volumes about how far behind he might be in his development. Of course, there's nothing wrong with that, but using the first pick of the second round on a player like that is just terrible asset management, especially with better prospects still up for grabs."
49ers' draft move is quickly becoming a joke among rivals
Well... he's not wrong, necessarily, with some of the stuff he's saying there. There hasn't been much buzz about Stribling, good or bad. But, as the old saying goes, sometimes no news is good news.
Plus, 49ers fans have a little bit better of an idea as to how Stribling might be used during his rookie year. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk discussed how Stribling's role with his new team might go beyond catching the ball. This might seem strange to spend such a high pick on a wide receiver for his blocking abilities, but it's going to be a good skill to have if everything pans out.
Maybe Stribling wasn't worthy of being taken where he was in the draft, but all that matters is what he does for the Niners moving forward. If he ends up being a decent player, that's all fans want to see happen.
Right now, let the Seahawks and other rival teams have their fun. Hopefully, down the road when we can truly evaluate this pick, the 49ers will have the last laugh.
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