The San Francisco 49ers took wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling with the first pick in the second round of the 2026 NFL draft, and many considered the selection a reach at the time, but the rookie wideout has impressed in camp and preseason.
After catching seven passes for 63 yards in San Francisco’s preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans, Stribling hauled in another four passes for 46 yards against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday.
Following the 41-17 win over Los Angeles, Stribling spoke to NFL Network’s Steve Wyche regarding his mentality and performance so far with the 49ers.
“Yeah, just trying to do my part, you know, just to help the whole offense roll, keep it going, have a good rhythm out there, you know, so just doing my 1/11th,” Stribling said.
Stribling only got limited opportunities on Thursday, as the 49ers wanted to get more looks for their backups, but the rookie still believes these snaps can help.
“For sure, you know, being out there, hearing the call, lining up right, you know, executing as an offense, that’s all that matters,” he said.
Stribling also showed that he has the right mindset when discussing his development early in his NFL career.
“Just trying to stack, you know, just stacking days, you know, catch the ball, score touchdowns, get upfield, do what I can, just help this whole offense go,” Stribling said.
Through two preseason games, Stribling has put himself in position to be on the field consistently once the regular season starts. If he continues on this trajectory, he could be lining up opposite Mike Evans for the first play in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Impressive 49ers rookie describes mindset after win vs. Chargers
Reporting by Mike Masala, Niners Wire / Niners Wire
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By Mike Masala, Niners Wire | USA TODAY Network
