Brock Purdy believes rookie WR ‘can come in and make instant impact’

The San Francisco 49ers took a wide receiver with their first pick for the second time in three years, as they selected Ole Miss wideout De’Zhaun Stribling with the No. 33 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. San Francisco initially held the No.

27 pick, but was able to facilitate two trade downs to move back to No. 33 and take the player they were targeting at their original spot with Stribling. Now, the selection came with a bit of controversy, as Stribling was a perceived reach by the media, in part because of his age (24) and raw ability.

But the 49ers were in need of a wideout for the future, as Mike Evans and Christian Kirk are both not long-term options, while Ricky Pearsall has dealt with injuries over his first two years. In comes Stribling, who is a good fit for the 49ers with his size, speed, blocking, and ability to work after the catch. With Evans, Kirk, and Pearsall ahead of him in 2026, it’s unclear exactly how much Stribling will factor in as a rookie.

But quarterback Brock Purdy believes in his rookie wideout and thinks he’ll make an immediate impact. “Yeah, rookies are in, we’re all working,” Purdy said. “Stribling’s a guy that, same thing, like, has a lot of raw talent.