De’Zhaun Stribling is already forcing the conversation in Santa Clara.
The rookie receiver, who became the first Ole Miss player taken in the 2026 NFL Draft when the San Francisco 49ers grabbed him with the first pick of the second round in Pittsburgh, is starting to look like more than just a surprise Day 2 selection. What looked like a reach to some fans when the pick came in has quickly turned into a player generating real buzz in camp.
That reaction makes sense once you look at the path he took to get here. Stribling spent two seasons at Oklahoma State and two more at Washington State before landing at Ole Miss, where he put together the best season of his college career. Now, after a strong spring, he’s carrying that momentum into training camp and turning heads with the 49ers.
Reports out of camp have been consistently upbeat. Coaches, teammates and local media have pointed to his catch radius, speed, dependable hands and physical style as the traits that have stood out most. He’s also been getting plenty of work in 11-on-11 periods, and those looks are turning into trust.
Brock Purdy has been especially vocal about what he’s seeing.
“Dude is a baller, and I mean that,” Purdy said of Stribling on KNBR this week, via 49ersWebzone.com. “It’s hard to say that for a rookie, right off the jump, but just seeing him run routes, going up against defenders in OTAs and then in camp yesterday.
He’s a great route runner. He’s smart.
He’s learned the playbook really quick, which is awesome.
"And then, on top of that, you can see his strength, too. When he’s going up against guys and creating separation, I’m like, ‘Alright, this guy’s a strong receiver.’ And so, I’m excited to see what he does, but all of us, all the quarterbacks in the room, were like, ‘Alright, this guy’s going to be a guy that’s going to come in and play.’”
That kind of praise carries weight, especially in a San Francisco offense that already has plenty of names attached to it. The 49ers added veteran receivers Mike Evans, Christian Kirk and most recently Deebo Samuel this offseason, yet Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area still believes the top of the depth chart is shaping up around Evans and Stribling.
Evans backed that up after Friday’s practice, singling out the rookie as one of the team’s offseason standouts.
“Strib. He had a really good offseason and OTAs, and he’s continued that during training camp,” Evans said, via 95.7 The Game. “We look forward to showing we’re one of the best receiving rooms in the league.”
Stribling will get more chances to keep building his case when the preseason starts later this month. The 49ers open their three-game exhibition schedule at home against the Tennessee Titans on August 13.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Suddenly Faces A Freshman D-Line Problem Before Camp
Ole Miss has spent the offseason trying to turn a promising defensive front into a real strength, and freshman end Carmelow Reed was one of the newcomers generating the most buzz in spring camp. The early enrollee from Chicago arrived with a strong recruiting profile and quickly became part of a defensive line class the Rebels believed could help deepen the rotation for Pete Golding.
Reed's progress now comes with a sudden off-field complication, though, and it lands at a tricky point for a team trying to build momentum before camp. Golding had pointed to Reed's potential as someone who could make an impact, but Ole Miss now has to sort through what this means for a player viewed as part of the next wave up front. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Could Get A Late Defensive Boost From NCAA Ruling
A late NCAA ruling could end up mattering for Ole Miss in a very specific way, with former defensive tackle Zxavian Harris suddenly in position to have another path back to Oxford. The decision gives athletes from the class of 2022 an extra year of eligibility, and for a program that is always tracking defensive line depth, that kind of twist is worth monitoring even if it still sits several steps away from becoming reality.
Harris would first have to make it through training camp with the New Orleans Saints, and any return to college would also hinge on timing and roster rules. Still, the broader significance is clear for Ole Miss and a few other programs around college football: a ruling that seemed administrative on the surface may actually reopen doors for players whose pro chances are still unsettled, and the Rebels are one of the teams with a possible defensive boost waiting in the wings. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Just Got Hit With Another Brutal AJ Storr Twist
AJ Storrs run at Ole Miss turned into a one-year stop, but it wasnt supposed to end this way. After a productive season in Oxford, where he gave the Rebels 15.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists across 35 games, the veteran guard has now entered the transfer portal after being granted an additional year of eligibility through an injunction.
For Ole Miss, it adds another layer of frustration to a departure that changes the look of the backcourt again. Storr now has to find a new landing spot for the upcoming season, even as many rosters around the country are already largely set, which makes this a tricky market for a player with proven production and a fresh path back into the portal. [Read more 🡒]