Wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling is gearing up for his rookie campaign in the NFL. On Sunday, a clip of him made the rounds on social media.
In the video, Stribling can be seen working out on the field as the San Francisco 49ers start their training camp. The wide receiver shows off his jump and catching skills during a route-running drill.
However, retired Dallas Cowboys star Dez Bryant had some criticism about Stribling’s route-running skills. The three-time Pro Bowler shared the video on X and accompanied it with a post highlighting the rookie’s mistakes.
“I might give him grace if he were pressed and chose to have his outside foot up because it gave him the most comfortable release,” Bryant said. “But his outside foot being up is why he rolled into the route instead of sticking it.
“I need my WRs to stick and cross the defender’s face violently… especially if we are running in breaking routes… The minor details make the biggest impacts.”
Coming out of high school as a three-star prospect, Stribling signed with the Washington State Cougars in 2021. He spent two seasons with them before joining Oklahoma State in 2023.
In December 2024, Stribling once again entered the transfer portal and joined Ole Miss. He recorded 811 yards on 55 receptions and six touchdowns, helping the team reach the Fiesta Bowl semifinal of the 12-team playoffs. In five years, he put up 2,964 yards on 216 receptions and 23 touchdowns.
Stribling declared for the 2026 NFL draft. The San Francisco 49ers drafted him in the second round with the No. 33 pick. He joins a depth chart that includes the likes of Mike Evans, Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk.
NFL insider shares his thoughts on De’Zhaun Stribling
Before the draft, several experts and analysts projected De’Zhaun Stribling to be a top wide receiver prospect for the upcoming season.
As he continues his development during training camp, NFL insider John Frascella took to social media to share his opinion on the rookie.
“San Francisco 49ers rookie WR De’Zhaun Stribling has been a major hype player in the past couple weeks, and now we get to see him in action looking quick, smooth and hyper athletic,” Frascella tweeted.
“There has been recent buzz that MULTIPLE teams had Stribling as their WR1 in this entire draft.”
The 49ers will face the Los Angeles Rams in Australia during their 2026 season-opener on Sept. 10. Kickoff is at 8:35 p.m. ET.
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