There has been no shortage of criticism surrounding several of the San Francisco 49ers' 2026 NFL Draft selections, largely driven by the perception that the team reached on multiple picks. Wide receiver was widely viewed as a major need entering the draft, and many projections linked San Francisco to the position when it held the No. 27 overall pick.

However, the player or players the 49ers may have targeted initially likely came off the board before their selection, prompting San Francisco to trade down twice. The move ultimately resulted in the first pick of Day 2—No. 33 overall in the second round.


After a full night to reassess their options, the 49ers ultimately selected former Mississippi wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling with that pick.

The decision surprised many around the league, including NFL analyst Brian Baldinger.

"It was a little confusing, a little confusing," Baldinger said Monday on Bay Area radio station 95.7 The Game. "I mean, to trade down twice the way [GM] John [Lynch] did, and then to take De'Zhaun Stribling—I don't think anybody thought that was going to be their guy.

"And look, all these draft guides and all these experts—there was a lot of choices at receiver, but I don't know that anybody had De'Zhaun going there. Look, he's a big, fast guy, played a lot of college football. We know that. We'll just see how quickly he can adapt and become a starter.

"But to trade down twice, to have a whole night to think about it, to have the first pick of the second round, and you come out with that? I think that was pretty much a shock to everybody."



The 49ers defended the selection, noting they explored the possibility of trading down again—what would have been their third trade back of the draft—but ultimately stood firm on their evaluation. The organization had a strong conviction that the 6-foot-2, 207-pound Stribling was worth the No. 33 overall pick.

"He's a big, strong guy, plays with a tremendous physicality—legit speed," general manager John Lynch said. "To be that size, running a 4.39, and that shows on tape. It's not just a time that you never see on film. He's got that speed, and he shows it, and we love the total package."

Head coach Kyle Shanahan echoed that sentiment, emphasizing Stribling's fit within the offense.

"It all has to do with the football, and I really fell in love with him with the ball, as a route runner, how fast he is, how big he is, how good his hands are, how physical he played with the ball," Shanahan said.

Stribling joins a wide receiver room that has undergone significant offseason turnover, with the departures of Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne, and Skyy Moore—and eventually, Brandon Aiyuk—while the team added Mike Evans and Christian Kirk.


Baldinger noted that he likes Stribling but questioned his selection at No. 33 overall. The rookie wide receiver brings speed and size, making him a big-bodied target in the passing game.

Stribling represents the second wide receiver the 49ers have selected with their top pick over the past three drafts.

"Did they miss on [WR Ricky Pearsall]? You know, maybe," Baldy added. "He's not been a productive player yet. And we know Mike Evans is probably in his final year, so you better keep bringing them in, and seeing who hits and who becomes part of the fabric every Sunday when you go out there into that stadium in Seattle or Los Angeles, and you're going up against elite teams with elite players on the edge."

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