SANTA CLARA — All signs are indicating the 49ers’ first pick of the 2026 NFL Draft was a wise one. De’Zhaun Stribling made his NFL preseason debut against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday at Levi’s Stadium, and he did not disappoint. The rookie wide receiver finished the night catching seven of his eight targets for 63 yards, including a tip-toeing sideline catch for 11 yards and a first down. An impressive preseason debut for @49ers' second-round pick De'Zhaun Stribling:
7 catches63 yards
All in the first half
TENvsSF on @nflnetwork Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/VxhMoyrhFb
— NFL (@NFL) August 14, 2026Kurtis Rourke threw a deep pass to right side of the field where Stribling held on to the ball with both feet sliding on the grass, barely staying in bounds. Then with a defensive back to his left, the wide receiver pivoted to turn back up the field and then around the defender for a first down.
“Just having sideline awareness and seeing where I was at,” Stribling explained after the 49ers’ 19-13 loss. “And trying to turn back...