Why 49ers drafted De'Zhaun Stribling over Denzel Boston at No. 33 overall in NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The San Francisco 49ers, after trading down in the NFL Draft's first-round, owned the No. 33 overall pick.
With that pick, as NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports, the 49ers are drafting Ole Miss wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling. It's a fascinating pick, as the 49ers are picking him over Denzel Boston.
The Ole Miss WR over the Washington WR is a bit of a surprise, as Boston had first-round buzz at one point this offseason.
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San Francisco is adding Stribling, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound. But, most importantly, he runs fast. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he ran a ridiculous 4.36 40-yard dash.
This pickup for the 49ers will have Stribling join Mike Evans, Ricky Pearsall, and Christian Kirk in the new-look WR room.
Stribling is a bit more athletic than Boston, who was someone that would've made sense for the 49ers with this pick, or even when they initially picked at No. 27.
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Last year for Ole Miss, he caught 55 passes for 811 yards and six touchdowns. He also had 52 receptions for 882 yards and six touchdowns the year before.
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. explained a little why the 49ers went with Stribling over Boston: "Stribling put it together this past year in a big way... He's an excellent football player. The size-speed ratio he has puts him in a category a little ahead of Denzel Boston... On talent alone, Stribling had a lot of people in his corner."
Stribling is more athletic, is a willing blocker, and is also a great receiving threat that's viewed as ranked higher than Boston on San Francisco's board.
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