Despite fan criticism, the 49ers masterfully traded back, securing a talented De'Zhaun Stribling, a receiver poised to become their next elite offensive weapon.
The San Francisco 49ers made a handful of bold moves in the first couple of days of the 2026 NFL draft. Not every move was appreciated by all who support the team.
Some viewed the Niners' moves as confounding, while others viewed them as frustrating. One thing is for sure: more 49ers fans than not disagreed with the beginning of the team's NFL draft.
San Francisco kicked off the day with a trade back, which is about the least desirable move for a fanbase to watch. Regardless of the merit of trading back to gain an extra pick or two, most want to see their team draft the best player available as soon as possible.
The Niners were not done. San Francisco traded back a second time, this time into the No. 33 pick in the draft. They continued to go against the grain with their draft pick.
The 49ers then selected a largely unknown player for the common fan in De'Zhaun Stribling. And while the highlights are impressive, his production is not that of a typical borderline first round pick.
San Francisco seems to indicate they viewed him as a borderline first rounder, if not a clear one. The Niners spoke highly of him after the draft sharing that while they saw Stribling as a good pick earlier in the draft, they felt other teams would opt to draft other players. So, the 49ers were able to trade back and get the player they wanted to draft all along.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) rushes for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the second half at Levi's Stadium. Kelley L Cox-Imagn ImagesStribling is a complete wide receiver. Some do not like that he has never really been asked to be a true No. 1 in the sense that a team makes a conscious effort to give him the majority of passing targets. And while that is true, it does not take into account that it's something the Niners don't really need to have in 2026.
San Francisco, who added Mike Evans and Christian Kirk to Ricky Pearsall this offseason, added an elite secondary option with the ability to one day become the go-to guy. And that, really, is what makes the move so great.
The Niners add a player with over 7.0 yards per reception after the catch, an arguably elite blocker and an impressive route runner to distribute the burden of production for the receiving corps. That's a huge win.
San Francisco went against the grain with its first and second round. It is likely that not every move the team made will be successful. Still, one can't discount how good a move the team made in drafting Stribling at No. 33.