We know the San Francisco 49ers were in the market to add a wide receiver with their first selection in the 2026 NFL Draft because they actually picked one with the first selection in the second round.

Initially, the 49ers held the No. 27 overall pick. Leading up to the draft, several projections linked San Francisco to Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion, widely viewed as a strong fit in head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense.


However, those plans may have shifted when the Cleveland Browns selected Concepcion three picks before the 49ers were due on the clock. San Francisco ultimately traded down—first with the Miami Dolphins and then again with the New York Jets—raising the question: did Concepcion's early selection prompt the move?

After the first round, general manager John Lynch was asked whether Concepcion had been a target. While Lynch stopped short of confirming that, he made it clear the organization held the receiver was a favorite inside the building.

"We liked KC a lot," Lynch said. "KC came out here for a visit. We met with him at the Combine. Tremendous young man. He has a great ability with the ball in his hands—fun player to scout, fun player to watch, fun player to be around.

"I think, Kyle and I, we tag team a lot of these visits when we're with the kids. Really just can't say enough about that young man. I think he's going to have a nice future ahead of him."

We may never know if Concepcion was the 49ers' intended pick at No. 27. Instead, the team selected former Mississippi wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling at No. 33 after trading down.


Stribling earned a reputation as one of the best blocking wide receivers in the draft, but Shanahan emphasized that his evaluation went well beyond that trait.

"For me, I don't ever start watching receivers block," Shanahan said. "It all has to do with the football, and I really fell in love with him with the ball, as a route runner, how fast he is, how big he is, how good his hands are, how physical he played with the ball."

Shanahan added that Stribling's physical profile naturally translated to blocking ability.

"When you watch a guy with that size, and how physically he runs with the ball, you assume he's a good blocker," he said. "And then to hear the people who are further along than I was (in the evaluation process) say he's the best blocker in the draft—he has elite blocking skills. And then to confirm it after that, it was real cool to watch."

In the end, while the 49ers may have missed out on one highly regarded receiver, they still landed a player they believe fits their long-term vision at the position.

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