The San Francisco 49ers selected wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling with the 33rd overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler compared Stribling to Super Bowl champion Chris Godwin, highlighting their similar physical attributes and skills.
The San Francisco 49ers left the 2026 NFL draft with eight new players, including wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, who they took in the second round with pick No. 33 overall.
Stribling, 23, spent two seasons at Washington State and two more at Oklahoma State before wrapping up his collegiate career with one year at Ole Miss. In 56 games between the three schools, he caught 216 passes for 2,964 yards and 23 touchdowns.
While the 49ers have been roasted for taking Stribling before many experts projected he'd go, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler compared the rookie to a one-time All-Pro and Super Bowl champion.
"Mike Evans might look across the formation and see a player who reminds him of his old running mate in Tampa Bay, Chris Godwin Jr.," Fowler wrote. "San Francisco's second-round receiver, Ole Miss' De'Zhaun Stribling, compared favorably to Godwin when he was coming out of Penn State, from weight (207 to 209) to 40 time (4.36 to 4.42), vertical jump (identical 36 inches) and broad jump (10-feet-7 to 10-6). Brock Purdy won't complain about that pairing, with Stribling's ability to separate over the middle a nice complement to Evans' vertical threat."
Godwin, 30, entered the NFL as a third-round pick (No. 84 overall) in the 2017 NFL draft out of Penn State. In the nine years since then, he's caught 612 passes for 7,626 yards and 41 touchdowns all with the , who gave him a three-year, $66 million extension in 2025.
De'Zhaun Stribling is a wide receiver selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2026 NFL draft, with 216 catches for 2,964 yards and 23 touchdowns over his collegiate career.
Jeremy Fowler compared De'Zhaun Stribling to Chris Godwin, noting their similar weight, speed, and jumping abilities.
Stribling's ability to separate over the middle could complement Mike Evans' vertical threat, enhancing the 49ers' offensive strategy.
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If Stribling performs like Godwin, the 49ers and their would be thrilled, and many pundits would have to eat some crow for their negative response to the selection.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Insider compares 49ers top pick to $66 million Super Bowl champ