San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling isn't just opening eyes in the Bay Area. After an impressive first week of training camp, people around the league are starting to take notice.
Justin Melo of Sports Illustrated recently highlighted five rookie wide receivers who are already turning heads at NFL training camps. Stribling was among the players selected for the list after receiving rave reviews for his performance throughout the opening week of camp.
Stribling did not practice Saturday due to what the team described as hamstring tightness, but that did little to overshadow what had been an impressive start to his first NFL training camp.
"The San Francisco 49ers received some criticism for selecting De'Zhaun Stribling at No. 33 overall," Melo wrote. "Those opinions are quickly proving foolish at training camp. Stribling consistently made plays this week while showing off an ability to play all three receiving positions in Kyle Shanahan's offense."
According to Melo, Wednesday was arguably Stribling's best practice of the week. The former Ole Miss standout recorded five receptions, including an impressive "climb-the-ladder" grab over the middle.
The 49ers entered training camp with some uncertainty at wide receiver due to injuries, including the ongoing absence of Christian Kirk, as well as Ricky Pearsall's battle with a PCL injury that has landed him on IR with an upcoming surgery that will end his season. That has created opportunities for others, and Stribling has quickly shown that he may be capable of making the most of them.
It's still early in training camp, but the second-round draft pick is already making a strong first impression. If Stribling can get healthy and continue building on his first week, he could quickly become one of the more intriguing young players on San Francisco's roster. And that's good, because the 49ers are going to need him this season.
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