The San Francisco 49ers drew plenty of criticism when they used the No. 33 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling. Many analysts felt the selection came earlier than expected, with Stribling ranked lower on most draft boards.
As of Monday morning, however, quarterback Brock Purdy wasn't even aware of the outside debate. During an interview with Bay Area radio station KNBR, hosts Brian Murphy and Markus Boucher informed him of the criticism surrounding the pick—news to him.
Purdy's response made one thing clear: he's sold on his new rookie receiver.
"Dude is a baller, and I mean that," Purdy said. "It's hard to say that for a rookie, right off the jump, but just seeing him run routes, going up against defenders in OTAs and then in camp yesterday. He's a great route runner. He's smart. He's learned the playbook really quick, which is awesome.
"And then, on top of that, you can see his strength, too. When he's going up against guys and creating separation, I'm like, 'Alright, this guy's a strong receiver.' And so, I'm excited to see what he does, but all of us, all the quarterbacks in the room, were like, 'Alright, this guy's going to be a guy that's going to come in and play.'"
Stribling praises Purdy's leadership
Stribling also appeared on KNBR on Monday and offered his first impressions of Purdy, praising the quarterback's leadership and command of the offense. The rookie added that he's focused on building chemistry with Purdy as quickly as possible.
"Very talented guy," Stribling said. "Very talented guy, great leader. Just being out there with him, how he conducts the whole offense, keeps everyone in check, gives everyone their assignment. So, just trying to be there for him as a great receiver, reliable for him, and just doing my part."
Stribling unconcerned with media criticism
As for the criticism surrounding where he was drafted, Stribling isn't paying attention to it.
"It's just media talk and media opinions," Stribling said. "But at the end of the day, I felt like I played football at a high level. I did a lot of things all around, so I just let my film talk for itself."
He added, "I don't get too involved with all of that. At the end of the day, I have to go out there and catch the ball and score touchdowns and block. So, none of that matters until I'm out on the field."
While Stribling's role could be limited early in the season as he adjusts to the speed of the NFL, the 49ers appear confident the rookie can quickly develop into a key contributor in Kyle Shanahan's offense. Based on Purdy's early impressions, the quarterback already believes Stribling has the talent to make an immediate impact.
Mentioned in this article: Brock Purdy, De'Zhaun Stribling
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