The draft experts are so busy crying about his 'reach' that they're entirely missing the fact that De'Zhaun Stribling is a hand-in-glove fit for this 49ers offense. All this 'reach' talk is just a cover for the talking heads who are trying to save face after getting his evaluation dead wrong.
The draft experts can say whatever they want, though, since the Niners got what they wanted without even giving away their interest in the Ole Miss receiver for months leading up to the draft.
The 49ers had De'Zhaun Stribling much higher on draft board
The inside word from San Feancisco is what makes the embarrassment even more interesting. Word from Spots Illustrated's Albert Breer confirms that the NFL teams, mainly the Niners, had Stribling valued much higher on their draft boards when the experts were lowballing him.
"The 49ers got killed for taking Ole Miss WR De’Zhaun Stribling at 33, and I get it. When fans have been looking at mocks for two months, and their team picks someone perceived as a reach, it normally drives them nuts. I’d just say this on Stribling—some really good offensive coaches really liked him, more than the public knows. We’ll see how it plays out," Breer noted.
The tape never lies, and neither does the eye test of an offensive mastermind behind a franchise. Stribling was exactly the type of vetrical threat that fits perfectly in any gritty offense like the Niners.
When half the league brings a guy in for a Top 30 visit, it’s a serious giveaway that the NFL knew exactly what it was doing.
The few of the scouts who were actually watching the tape were raving about his elite speed and strong hands, and how his blocking could turn out to be a massive jackpit for any team that drafts him.
His proven football IQ when running and winning in isolated routes is where Shanahan's offense needed serious help. Now they have it.
As Breer said, “We’ll see how it plays out."
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