De'Zhaun Stribling Continues Turning Heads at 49ers Training Camp

The San Francisco 49ers took a lot of heat when they drafted wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling in the second round of the 2026 draft.

The consensus on Stribling was that he should be a third-or-fourth-round pick. Instead, the 49ers took the Ole Miss product in the second, and many immediately called it a reach. It's obviously too early to draw any conclusions, but those people are looking silly right now.

Stribling has been one of the stars of the summer for the 49ers. The receiver looks fast, and he's even throwing some nice blocks. The coaching staff has praised him for his toughness, and Mac Jones has already dubbed him the "Flyin' Hawaian."

This week, the 49ers have the Tennessee Titans in town for joint practices. On Tuesday, the first day of the practices, Stribling continued to show out.

Stribling Shines Against Titans on Tuesday

ESPN's Nick Wagoner singled Stribling out for praise after Tuesday's practice concluded.

"Stribling continues to produce at a high level regardless of who he is on the field with and against," Wagoner explained. "The size and speed are obvious, but there's a maturity and understanding of the game that his teammates and coaches continue to notice that are helping him adapt quickly. I had Stribling down for eight catches today in team periods."

Stribling is big and fast, we know that. But, as Wagoner pointed out, the rookie is also showing maturity and a high football IQ that will definitely help him get on the field.

Stribling caught eight passes on Tuesday, which is a good sign. You can't always tell much from strong performances in a normal practice, but playing against another team tells you that it's not just a fluke.

On the depth chart released Tuesday, Stribling was behind Demarcus Robinson, which was a surprise. That could just be due to Robinson being a reliable veteran and Stribling having to earn his place, though, because it's obvious Stribling is going ot force his way onto the field.

How Good Can Stribling Be as a Rookie?

The 49ers used a second-round pick on Stribling, so it's obvious they feel good about his talent. But Ricky Pearsall is out for the season, which means there's an obvious opening at receiver for Stribling.

The rookie caught 55 passes for 811 yards and six touchdowns during his final collegiate season. Stribling played in a pro-style offense at Ole Miss, which explains why he hasn't had a problem running routes or picking up the concepts. There's a big difference between performing at camp and performing in the regular season, but the 49ers have to be thrilled with what the rookie has shown so far.