The best way the San Francisco 49ers can be vindicated for reaching on Ole Miss wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling with the 33rd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is by putting him into a situation where he can thrive.
By in large, he'll be able to do that.
The second-round rookie certainly isn't going to be atop the Niners depth chart, and head coach Kyle Shanahan is notoriously tough on his younger receivers, meaning Stribling may not make much of a dent early on. Especially with San Francisco looking to feature it's premier offseason pickup, veteran wideout Mike Evans, along with fellow receivers like Christian Kirk and Ricky Pearsall.
That said, Stribling has a clear fit and path toward quickly changing the narrative about his draft status, thereby justifying the 49ers' faith in him at a point when so many others viewed him as a reach.
And Bleacher Report is picking up on that very notion.
Bleacher Report cites De'Zhaun Stribling as a WR who'll outplay his draft value
B/R's Moe Moton detailed six rookie receivers who'll end up outplaying their respective draft values, which is provocative enough for Stribling, as many consensus draft experts viewed him as a late Round 2/early Round 3 pick.
But Moton is convinced Stribling contributes like a first-rounder, and it won't take him long to get there, given the wide receiver's uncanny blocking abilities and the fact the Niners simply can't stay healthy on a year-to-year basis:
Stribling's skill set aligns with what head coach Kyle Shanahan wants in a receiver and meets the team's needs at the position.
Stribling is a willing blocker, which will help him earn more snaps in Shanahan's run-centric offense. As a wideout, he's a potential deep threat in a receiver room of older possession, pass-catching veterans.
Ricky Pearsall is a young, explosive playmaker who can stretch gains, but his injury history is a concern. He's missed nearly half his games as a two-year pro.
Stribling's season-opening role may be limited behind Pearsall, Mike Evans and Christian Kirk, but all three wideouts missed four or more games last season. The rookie could fill gaps in the passing game and play a majority of the offensive snaps by the end of the 2026 campaign.
San Francisco bade farewell to its best blocking receiver during the offseason, Jauan Jennings, so it's not hard to see where Stribling can fit in on that front. Even Shanahan touted the rookie's abilities in that area, which will certainly help increase snap totals.
Plus, the former Rebel's 4.36 40-yard time suggests Shanahan is getting back to his routes with speed, putting that added element alongside a diverse array of pass catchers like Evans, Kirk and Pearsall.
And, provided Evans and/or Pearsall can't stay healthy, it wouldn't be a shock to see Stribling take on a bigger role as the year moves along.
Should that happen, yes, he'd no longer be considered a reach.
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