De’Zhaun Stribling | Ole Miss | 6’2 , 207 lbs | 12/18/02 (23)
De’Zhaun Stribling was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers, becoming the 6th wide receiver and 33rd overall player in the 2026 NFL Draft.
COLLEGE PRODUCTION
Stribling was a five-year player in college, starting his career at Washington State, where he played his first two seasons. Stribling was a Year 1 producer, nearly hitting 500 receiving yards and five touchdowns as a true freshman.
He failed to take that next step forward with the Cougars in his sophomore season, transferring to Oklahoma State for the 2023-24 season. He suffered a wrist injury in his first year at Stillwater and missed all but four games that season, ultimately electing to redshirt.
Stribling broke out in Year 4 as a redshirt junior for the Cowboys, hauling in 52 receptions for 882 yards and six touchdowns. He posted an impressive 25.5% target rate and 2.44 yards per route run that season, both career bests for the young man.
He transferred a second time for his fifth and final season, playing for HC Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss. Stribling posted similar numbers in 2025, finishing with 55 receptions, 811 yards, and six touchdowns.
FILM
Below is a snippet of my film breakdown for Stribling in our 2026 Dynasty Rookie Draft Guide:
Stribling is a big-bodied receiver who primarily played X in college but could be an effective power slot in the NFL. Stribling is an above-average athlete with impressive build-up speed and acceleration. He can win at all three levels and is extremely effective in the intermediate areas of the field. Stribling lacks some twitch and suddenness to separate from top DBs. He’s technically sound and has strong, reliable hands, but he’s not the most physical receiver in jump-ball situations. Stribling lacks the elusivity and play strength to be a major YAC threat.
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ATHLETIC TESTING
De’Zhaun Stribling posted a very impressive 9.57 official Relative Athletic Score (RAS), helping to push up his NFL Draft stock. His best marks included a 4.38 40-yard dash and a 10’7” broad jump. He posted underwhelming shuttle and 3-cone times, which is not surprising when you watch his college tape. As mentioned in the film section, Stribling lacks some short-area quickness, but he’s a savvy route runner and has the experience and football IQ to win 1v1 matchups.
DRAFT ANALYSIS
Rapid Reaction to Draft Capital: Excellent
Rapid Reaction to Landing Spot: Above-Average
Stribling shocked the football world when his name was called as the first man off the board in the second round. He was not projected to receive this type of draft capital and should be pushed up dynasty rankings and rookie draft boards considerably, solely based on the investment the 49ers made.
The landing spot is above average, as Kyle Shanahan is one of the sharpest football minds in the NFL and has found plenty of success for his wide receivers over the years. With Brandon Aiyuk likely out the door as well, opportunity could open up for Stribling to see some routes early on. Stribling is known for his hard-nosed playstyle and excellent run blocking, which Shanahan loves to see out of his receivers. This just feels like a San Francisco type of player.
FANTASY INSIGHTS
While we still have plenty of picks left that could shake things up in our rookie rankings, Stribling projects to be around a mid-second-round rookie pick in my dynasty Superflex rankings. While the draft capital and landing spot are nice, there are still plenty of receivers in this class with better overall resumes and prospect profiles. At the end of the day, this is still a fifth-year player who failed to hit 1,000 receiving yards in any single season. Let’s not forget that Ricky Pearsall was a first-round selection by the 49ers in 2024, and while he’s had plenty of legitimate excuses for his lack of NFL production, he really hasn’t panned out for fantasy (yet).
I wouldn’t expect Stribling to be winning you any weeks or fantasy championships, but he has a real chance to earn a legitimate role in this offense and turn into a reasonable flex play down the road.
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