Brock Purdy: 49ers rookie WR De'Zhaun Stribling playing like a vet
San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling is turning heads in his first training camp, and the man throwing him the ball is taking notice. Brock Purdy singled out the second-round pick for the way he attacks the football…
San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling is turning heads in his first training camp, and the man throwing him the ball is taking notice. Brock Purdy singled out the second-round pick for the way he attacks the football in contested situations, calling it a trait he usually associates with seasoned pros.
Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN): Brock Purdy says De'Zhaun Stribling has unique ability to "attack the ball, having strong hands and ripping it from defenders...He’s been doing that every time he’s been out at practice. For me, that’s like a vet thing." Lines up correctly every play
Stribling, 23, was the 49ers' first selection of the second round (No. 33 overall) in the 2026 NFL Draft after a college career at Ole Miss. The 6-foot-2, 207-pound target ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash and entered the league viewed as an athletic outside receiver with room to grow into a bigger role.
Purdy's praise centers on ball skills: strong hands, the willingness to rip passes away from defenders, and consistent alignment on every rep. Those are the details quarterbacks notice, and the starter framed them as veteran-level habits rather than rookie flashes.