The San Francisco 49ers reshaped their wide receiver room this offseason, adding veterans Mike Evans and Christian Kirk to help offset several key departures. The team also invested in the future by selecting wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling with the No. 33 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

There has been debate about how quickly Stribling can become a contributor in head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense. Some believe the rookie could emerge as a starter by the end of the season, while others expect 2026 to serve primarily as a developmental year.


One person who believes Stribling can contribute immediately is 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.

The fifth-year signal caller spoke with NBC Sports Bay Area's Laura Britt during Wednesday's Dwight Clark Legacy Series event and praised the rookie receiver's raw talent and athletic ability.

"Stribling's a guy that has a lot of raw talent," Purdy said. "And just throwing routes on air and stuff to him, and getting a feel for how he moves, and his speed, he's a guy that, once we obviously get him in the playbook a lot, and get reps with each other on the field, I feel like he's going to be a guy that can come in and make an instant impact.

"And so, Kyle and [wide receivers coach Leonard Hankerson] have done a really good job with just developing receivers and stuff. So, to have him in the fold, with the great receiving core that we have right now, it's just amazing as a quarterback. I'm like, 'Let's go.'"

Stribling recorded 1,693 receiving yards over his final two collegiate seasons while scoring six touchdowns in each campaign.


Although some analysts criticized the 49ers for selecting Stribling earlier than projected, the organization reportedly viewed him as the best blocking wide receiver in the draft—a trait that carries significant value in Shanahan's offensive system.

For now, the focus will be on building chemistry between Purdy and Stribling as the 49ers prepare for the 2026 NFL season.

"Our receiving [corps], as a whole, we're really excited about right now," Purdy added. "Everyone's healthy and good. We've got to keep it going and just keep stacking days. And I think we've got a really good core, as a whole."



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