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49ers first 3 draft picks follow disturbing trend of Kyle Shanahan era
TL;DR
The San Francisco 49ers continue a troubling trend of reaching for draft picks under Kyle Shanahan, with their first three selections in the 2026 draft reflecting this pattern. Notably, their No. 33 pick, wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, was selected 58 spots higher than his consensus ranking.
Key points
- 49ers have a history of reaching for draft picks under Kyle Shanahan.
- San Francisco was the worst team in the NFL for reaching against the consensus big board.
- Only three out of their 20 biggest reaches completed rookie contracts.
- De'Zhaun Stribling was selected No. 33 overall, 58 spots higher than his ranking.
San Francisco 49ersDe'Zhaun Stribling
There's a significant issue with the way the San Francisco 49ers have executed their NFL draft picks under head coach Kyle Shanahan. They reach for picks. A lot. That trend continued with their trio of Day 2 picks in the 2026 draft.
On Twitter, SFdata9ers put together a list of how much teams reached or didn't reach by comparing their player selections to a consensus big board compiled by nflmockdraftdatabase.com. San Francisco has been the worst team in the NFL when it comes to reaching against the consensus big board, and it hasn't worked out well for them.
Of their 20 biggest reaches, only three have completed their rookie contracts with the 49ers, and only one received a second contract. They'll be adding more players to their list of reaches this year.
At the No. 33 pick they selected wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling. He was ranked No. 91 on the consensus big board, marking a 58-spot reach.
It got better at No. 70 where they took No. 77 overall ranked defensive end Romello Height. A seven-spot reach isn't egregious, particularly because Height filled a specific need on the defensive line.
However, the 49ers were right back to big reaches at the 90th pick. They selected Indiana running back Kaelon Black, who was the 180th player on the consensus big board, good for a 90-spot reach.
San Francisco isn't alone in the reaching business. Ultimately the goal is to just find good players. The consensus big board typically does a good job of ranking players, though and the 49ers' penchant for picking against it hasn't gone well for them in the recent past. It's particularly bad when they reach 90 spots for a running back in the third round when they have other needs in the secondary and along the offensive line.
Q&A
What is the trend of draft picks under Kyle Shanahan for the 49ers?
The trend shows that the 49ers frequently reach for players in the NFL draft, often selecting them significantly higher than their consensus rankings.
How many of the 49ers' biggest reaches have succeeded in their contracts?
Out of the 20 biggest reaches by the 49ers, only three players have completed their rookie contracts with the team, and just one received a second contract.
Who did the 49ers select with the No. 33 pick in the 2026 draft?
The 49ers selected wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling with the No. 33 pick, despite him being ranked No. 91 on the consensus big board, marking a 58-spot reach.
