Seattle Seahawks fans had to enjoy the early fallout from the San Francisco 49ers’ 2026 NFL Draft decision to take De’Zhaun Stribling with the No. 33 overall pick.
That selection, which gave San Francisco the first pick of the second round, already looks like a reach to plenty of observers. And after just one day of training camp, the rookie was already drawing criticism on social media.
Former Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant reacted to a video of Stribling and didn’t hold back.
"I might give him grace if he were pressed and chose to have his outside foot up because it gave him the most comfortable release. But his outside foot being up is why he rolled into the route instead of sticking it. I need my WRs to stick and cross the defender’s face violently… especially if we are running in breaking routes…The minor details make the biggest impact…"
That kind of critique only adds to the uneasy feeling around the pick. Zane Gelphman of Niner Noise also weighed in on the concerns, pointing to Stribling’s college production as part of the issue.
"Such a critique makes sense when considering that Stribling never eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in any season during his college career. In his one season with Ole Miss, he failed to finish the year as the team's leading receiver.
In fact, he only had one game in which he surpassed 100 yards through the air," Gelphman wrote." This inconsistency has to be taken into account when determining his value to San Francisco this year.
There has to be a reason why a player of his physique failed to dominate at the college level, while others who boasted less physical prowess produced better results."
Stribling hasn’t played a snap yet, but the first impression around the pick is rough. Maybe the 49ers saw something others missed. Right now, though, the outside view is looking a lot closer to the truth.
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