The 49ers did something in this draft for the first time in the Next Gen Stats era

TL;DR

The San Francisco 49ers made history by drafting players from the same school at the same position in consecutive years for the first time in the Next Gen Stats era. They selected wide receivers Jordan Watkins and De’Zhaun Stribling from Ole Miss in 2025 and 2026.

Key points

49ers drafted Jordan Watkins and De’Zhaun Stribling in consecutive years
Both players are wide receivers from Ole Miss
This is the first instance in Next Gen Stats era for same school and position
Watkins and Stribling have different physical attributes
Stribling is expected to replace Jauan Jennings

Mentioned in this story

Ole Miss

San Francisco 49ersJordan WatkinsDe’Zhaun Stribling

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 03: Jordan Watkins #17 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium on January 03, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images The San Francisco 49ers haven’t been shy about drafting players from the same school under the current regime. They’ve drafted a pair of Notre Dame offensive linemen in the top 50 in Aaron Banks and Mike McGlinchey. Deebo Samuel and Javon Kinlaw both came out of the University of South Carolina. There are examples of the Niners selecting the same prospects from the same school in consecutive years, like in 2021 and 2022, when Talanoa Hufanga and Drake Jackson were drafted. If you want to go pre-John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers drafted Curtis Taylor and Eric Reid, a pair of free safeties from LSU. Another example is Kentwan Balmer and , both from North Carolina State. The most recent and closest example is this year with Enrique Cruz and , both Kansas alumni. That’s as close to the same school and position in consecutive years as it gets, dating back to 2008. You see where we’re going with this. For the first time in the Next Gen Stats database, the 49ers drafted players from the same school at the same position in consecutive years. The 49ers drafted former Ole Miss wide receivers Jordan Watkins and De’Zhaun Stribling in 2025 and 2026. Both wideouts couldn’t be more different stylistically. Watkins is under 6′ and 200 pounds with an arm length of 29 3/8. Some of his height-weight-speed comps include KC Concepcion, Patriots receiver Kyle Williams, Makai Lemon, and . At 6’2 1/8, Stribling’s arm length is over two inches longer, and his hands are nearly an inch bigger. His comparisons are and . Both were in the 90th percentile for speed. Watkins and Stribling had the same 10-yard split of 1.53, with Stribling just edging out Watkins’ 40-time at 4.36 compared to 4.37. Their usage in college wasn’t all that different, either. Lane Kiffin used Watkins as an outside receiver on two-thirds of the snaps with the Rebels. He occasionally played in the slot, while sparingly lining up in the backfield (13) or tight end (17). Stribling played 591 of his 778 snaps out wide last year. He had more snaps in the backfield (20) and at tight end (27), while his uptick in the slot didn’t happen until the college football playoffs. It’s almost as if the 49ers took the receiver lining up in the same spot at the same school in consecutive seasons. There was no overlap between Watkins and Stribling, as the latter played at Oklahoma State during Watkins’ final season at Ole Miss, so they weren’t teammates. The path for Stribling in 2026 is clearer than Watkins’s. Stribling is a 1-for-1 swap with . Watkins will likely need to battle for playing time. In limited action last year, Watkins played 16 of his 25 snaps out wide. There were even times when Watkins was the isolated receiver. Of course, that was before was on the roster. Watkins may need to earn his playing time as a special teamer or returner, barring injury.

Q&A

What unique drafting strategy did the 49ers use in 2025 and 2026?

The 49ers drafted wide receivers Jordan Watkins and De’Zhaun Stribling from Ole Miss in consecutive years, marking the first time they selected players from the same school at the same position.

How do Jordan Watkins and De’Zhaun Stribling compare in terms of physical attributes?

Watkins is under 6′ and weighs 200 pounds, while Stribling is 6’2 1/8 with larger hands and arm length, showcasing significant differences in their physical profiles.

What roles are Jordan Watkins and De’Zhaun Stribling expected to play in the 49ers' offense?

Stribling is likely to replace Jauan Jennings, while Watkins may need to compete for playing time against Ricky Pearsall, potentially as a special teamer or returner.

What schools have the 49ers previously drafted multiple players from?

The 49ers have drafted multiple players from schools like Notre Dame, South Carolina, and Kansas, but this is the first instance of drafting from the same school at the same position.

The 49ers did something in this draft for the first time in the Next Gen Stats era

TL;DR

Key points

Q&A

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