49ers' De'Zhaun Stribling: Pick motivated by intangibles?
The 49ers' selection of Stribling at No. 33 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft was partially motivated by the organization's strong belief in his personality, leadership and work ethic, according to Matt Barrow of The Athletic.
It also doesn't hurt to have 4.36 speed at 6-foot-2, 207 pounds. Mock drafters nonetheless projected Stribling as a mid-round pick, for the most part, due to concerns about age (24 in December) and his lack of an elite statistical season in college (career highs of 882 yards and six TDs). Reasonable arguments both, though the latter concern is somewhat mitigated by his combination of early success (44-471-5 in 2021 at Washington State) and strong cumulative production (2,964 career receiving yards across three schools). It sounds like the 49ers are even more impressed by Stribling's intangibles/personality, having given him their "gold helmet" label -- a designation they use each year for a handful of prospects viewed as the best culture fits. The franchise clearly is invested in Stribling's success, but his immediate future may entail a not-so-glamorous competition for the No. 3 WR job in an offense that prefers FB Kyle Juszczyk over a third WR outside of clear passing situations. The 49ers also have Christian Kirk, Demarcus Robinson and 2025 fourth-round pick Jordan Watkins hoping to compete for depth roles behind Mike Evans and Ricky Pearsall, both of whom missed large portions of 2025.
... See More
... See Less
