For all intents and purposes, the San Francisco 49ers’ top draft pick is Ole Miss reciever De’Zhaun Stribling. Not just because he was taken with the first pick of the second round, but because he was the 49ers’ first pick and because of all the debate around whether or not the receiver was drafted too early.
The 49ers don’t seem too concerned with that narrative, and some experts have written that Stribling is a great fit for the San Francisco offense.
So, it stands to reason that league sentiment was much higher on Stribling than the media. Another report has surfaced, too, that an NFL coach of 35 years even liked Stribling more than USC receiver pick Makai Lemon, who went to the Philadelphia Eagles 13 picks earlier at No. 20. That’s, at least, what veteran NFL analyst Greg Cosell said to 95.7 the Game’s “Willard and Dibs.”
Whether or not you believe that take, it is at least similar to what Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer heard from NFL coaches regarding Stribling: “Some really good offensive coaches really liked him, more than the public knows.”
The 49ers clearly had enough conviction to take Stribling with their first pick in the draft despite the blowback it’s received so far. He should slide into a nice role in their offense alongside Mike Evans, Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Long-time NFL coach ranked De’Zhaun Stribling before top-20 draft pick
Reporting by Oliver G., Niners Wire / Niners Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
