Niners Nation on De'Zhaun Stribling

33rd pick now looks like necessity, not luxury, with Pearsall's injury severity.

The 49ers selected De'Zhaun Stribling with the 33rd overall pick in the 2026 draft as a replacement and complement to Ricky Pearsall given Pearsall's ongoing knee injury uncertainty. At the time of the draft, many viewed the pick as a luxury selection, but with Pearsall's PCL swelling resurfacing in training camp and a potential season-ending surgery looming, Stribling's selection now appears to be a necessity rather than a depth move. Matt Maiocco emphasizes that the pick "amplifies how important it was for the team to select De'Zhaun Stribling where they did with the 33rd overall pick."

De'Zhaun StriblingSFPlayer page — value, ADP, projections, and every insight