
Back on? Man City extend title race with necessary Palace win
Man City extends title race with a crucial 3-0 win over Palace!
The San Francisco 49ers selected wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling with the 33rd pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, despite more highly regarded options still available. This choice raises questions about the team's strategy and the player's fit.
Mentioned in this story
The San Francisco 49ers had a strange 2026 NFL Draft. It all started with their first pick.
With Jauan Jennings departing in free agency (he'd later sign with the Minnesota Vikings) and Brandon Aiyuk plainly on his way out, head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch opted to restock the receiving corps. Trades back from the first round netted the 33rd overall pick. When Lynch couldn't find a suitable deal from there in an uneven draft class, he settled on Ole Miss deep threat De'Zhaun Stribling.
It was a peculiar choice. Stribling had late second or third-round buzz coming into the draft. More highly regarded wideouts like Denzel Boston, Germie Bernard and Antonio Williams were still available. Had Lynch reached for a player he liked but could have been available later?
To be sure, Stribling was a solid collegiate contributor and downfield burner. He was also inconsistent from week-to-week and showcased average separation skills. While later picks would make Stribling's selection seem predictable by comparison -- Lynch and Shahahan -- the first pick of the second round didn't make a ton of sense.
The 49ers aimed to replenish their receiving corps after losing Jauan Jennings and with Brandon Aiyuk likely leaving, leading them to select Stribling despite other options.
Stribling was known for being a solid contributor but showed inconsistency and average separation skills during his college career.
More highly regarded wideouts like Denzel Boston, Germie Bernard, and Antonio Williams were still available when the 49ers selected Stribling.

Man City extends title race with a crucial 3-0 win over Palace!

Hearts beat Falkirk but must wait for title after Celtic's win

El Valencia se clasifica para su primera Final Four de la Euroliga tras vencer al Panathinaikos 81-64.
Manchester City beats Crystal Palace 3-0, keeping title hopes alive.
Manchester City secures a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace in the Premier League!

England's Red Roses face a tough challenge in the Six Nations Grand Slam decider against France.
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
Until you realize what Shanahan wanted. The head coach wasn't happy with his downfield blocking last season, as The Athletic's Matt Barrows pointed out this week. That was Jennings' forte. It's also Stribling's, who at 6-foot-2 and 200-plus pounds can drive defensive backs away from the ball. Thus, even if the rookie has something like 30 catches in 2026, his debut could be a success.
But was that the best course of action for the Niners? A downfield blocker is a nice addition, but not what you want from a player a razor's edge away from the first round.
Shanahan's passing game relies on wideouts who can create space and move after the catch to lift up flawed quarterbacks. From 2018 to 2023 his teams led the NFL in yards after catch per reception five times. That number slipped in 2024 and plummeted to 30th in 2025. Now he's dealing with a rookie receiver who, per NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, "lacks short-area quickness to gain separation underneath" and "struggles to consistently carve out catch space and fight through contested-catch contact for tight-coverage wins."
Additionally, consider who he'll be blocking for. Christian McCaffrey turns 30 in June. He's got nearly 2,500 career touches under his belt. His -166 rushing yards over expected (RYOE) and -0.5 RYOE per carry were both career lows. While he did most of his work outside the tackles, where Stribling will be waiting to clear space, his RYOE actually dropped dramatically to -0.9 per carry on those plays.
Was that a symptom of a workhorse back aging, or was it a function of poor downfield blocking, especially with Jennings limited by injury? Shanahan and Lynch laid a pricy, almost-first-round bet on the latter. Stribling's rookie season may underwhelm by design. We'll only know if the pick was a mistake if the San Francisco running game underwhelms with it.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: How De'Zhaun Stribling can save 49ers without catches (and why it could backfire)