The San Francisco 49ers have a knack for finding talent in unexpected places, and their latest draft pick, De'Zhaun Stribling, is no exception. But what really has the organization buzzing isn't just his tape—it's a little-known psychological test called the Judgment Index that might just predict NFL success better than a 40-yard dash.

For three years, a 71-year-old evaluator named Smithmier has been administering this unique assessment to Ole Miss players. Unlike the Wonderlic or Myers-Briggs tests, the Judgment Index digs deep into a player's decision-making skills, core values, and—most critically for football—any hidden weaknesses that could hold them back. "There's something about a human that we tend to do better figuring out everything else than we are figuring out ourselves," Smithmier explained. "That's often where the stumbling block is."

When Stribling transferred to Ole Miss a year ago, Smithmier put him through the test and was stunned. A good Judgment Index score typically ranges from 875 to 950. On one portion of the exam, Stribling—who agreed to share his results—scored a 968. That's the highest Smithmier had ever seen.

So, what does that mean for the 49ers' new wide receiver? According to Smithmier, the results point to a player with immense self-confidence who thrives under hard coaching and doesn't crack when the pressure mounts. Imagine a fourth-and-10 situation with the game on the line—Smithmier believes Stribling's performance would actually accelerate. "They tend to do better," he said.

But don't expect Stribling to wow you in an interview. "This is a person that is probably not going to blow you away in an interview," Smithmier noted. "He has a very good inner sense of who he is and how he fits in the world. With Strib, it's what you see is what you get. There's no bulls— about him."

As the 49ers gear up for another season, this kind of mental toughness could be exactly what they need. Meanwhile, the rivalry between Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay continues to simmer, with their next showdown promising extra spice. But for now, all eyes are on Stribling—a quiet, confident playmaker who might just prove that the best measure of a player isn't in his stats, but in his mind.