San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling had yet another standout performance in the team's second preseason game, racking up four catches for 46 yards. Part of that production came with starting quarterback Brock Purdy, and he couldn't help but rave about the rookie's potential. "Stribling has a unique ability to attack the ball, having strong hands and ripping it from defenders," Purdy said via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
"He’s been doing that every time he’s been out at practice. For me, that’s like a vet thing." Stribling's performance shouldn't come as a complete surprise at this point, though. He has been impressing all training camp and already led the 49ers with seven catches for 63 yards in their preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans.
It's safe to say his confidence is only continuing to grow, too. So I’m very grateful I had the opportunities and the passes that I did.” Many tabbed the 49ers selection of Stribling with the No. 33 overall pick as a massive reach coming out of the 2026 NFL Draft. However, San Francisco believed in his talent and the team is starting to be proved right.
The 49ers will likely continue leaning on Stribling to make an early impact after wide receiver Ricky Pearsall’s season-ending knee injury this offseason. He joins veterans Mike Evans and Demarcus Robinson atop the team's depth chart. Stribling played college football at Washington State (2021-22), Oklahoma State (2023-24) and Ole Miss (2025), during which he racked up 216 catches for 2,964 yards and 23 touchdowns.
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