When the San Francisco 49ers selected wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling with the 33rd overall pick, many were left scratching their heads. Stribling, along with numerous other Niner rookies, was taken well before their pre-draft projections, leading to questions regarding general manager John Lynch's overall strategy.
Now that more has come out about the pass catcher, fans are starting to get the full picture as to why Stribling was the 49ers' guy right from the jump.
According to veteran Kyle Juszczyk, his value to the team may extend beyond his pass-catching ability:
"I think in our second OTA, he was asked to cut off the defensive end on the backside of the ball, and he so willingly and impressively did so... I think he’s going to do a lot of [pass catching], but I think in order to play in Kyle’s offense, you have to really be willing to do everything. So for him... to stick his face into a defensive lineman, I was really impressed," the fullback said.
At this point, Stribling's future contributions through the air are up for debate, considering the offseason signing of Mike Evans and a jumble of possible number twos waiting in the wings behind him. Stribling could very well slot in as the go-to man on the other side of Evans, and this vote of confidence from an established veteran bodes extremely well for such a scenario.
De'Zhaun Stribling appears to grasp concept many rookies struggle with
Taking a wide receiver for their blocking ability may seem a bit counterintuitive on the surface, but it makes all the sense in the world when looked at in-depth.
One of the main learning curves that many rookies struggle with is the NFL's expectations when it comes to the "little things." Many skill players have entered the league with the expectation of immediate playing time, only to discover their head coach requires more than just raw talent.
The Detroit Lions' Jameson Williams was a prime example some years back, when he received less time on the field than anticipated. It wasn't until he bought into Dan Campbell's run-blocking emphasis that he became Jared Goff's trusted secondary target out wide.
Just last year, Patriots rookie running back TreyVeon Henderson was expected to hoard the majority of carries, only to wind up second fiddle to the aging Rhamondre Stevenson due to pass-blocking concerns.
49ers already looking smart for controversial draft pick
It's clear that, with the selection of Stribling, the 49ers were looking for more than skill. The rookie wideout represents a player who could potentially have an immediate impact on the offense due to his commitment to playing the game the right way, something coach Kyle Shanahan values highly.
The fact that he is 6-foot-2, 207 pounds, and runs a 4.36 40-yard dash is just icing on the cake.
While the NFL scrutinizes the pick, the Niners could be sitting on a surprising home-run pass catcher. If he pans out, Brock Purdy could have a lethal tandem of Stribling and Evans torching opposing secondaries. The rookie's commitment to the finer points of the game could more running room for Christian McCaffrey as well.
In short, it's July, and things are already looking up for the young speedster.
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