49ers - 2026 Draft Recap - What to look forward to

The 2026 NFL Draft happened over the weekend, and it definitely brought some question marks from 49er fans. There were big questions for the Niners coming into this offseason and 49er’s GM John Lynch made some key free agency signings but how did he do in the draft? Let’s take a look.

Coming into the draft, the Niners biggest needs were safety, defensive end, and the obvious offensive line. The Niners have one of the best tackles in the game’s history with Trent Williams, but being 37 years old, we don’t know how much is left in the tank. And with Spencer Burford, who started 9 games in 2025 for the Niners, leaving for the Raiders this offseason, there are some holes to fill. Over the past 5 years the Niners have spent very limited draft capital on offensive line, and even though their offensive line ranked middle of the pack last year, they continued to neglect the position in the draft. Let’s go pick by pick and evaluate the newcomers to the Bay.

Second Round: De’Zhaun Stribling

The Niners traded out of the first round not once, but twice. First trading the 27^th overall pick to the Dolphins for pick 30 and then moving back another 3 spots in a trade with the Jets to acquire pick 33. It is worth noting they were able to get a few later round picks as part of these deals. But with the 33rd pick, the Niners surprised a lot of people with their pick of De’Zhaun Stribling, wide receiver out of Ole Miss. After playing at Washington State and Oklahoma State for a pair of years each, De’Zhaun ended his collegiate career at Ole Miss and finished with a stat line of 55-811-6 in 2026.

With the offseason additions of WR Mike Evans and Christian Kirk, taking a WR with their first pick in the draft came as a surprise for the Faithful. Coming into the draft the Niners front office viewed WR as a need and took their shot on one early on day 2. There are health concerns with just about all the 49ers current WRs on the roster with Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, and Ricky Pearsall missing a combined 21 games last season. Stribling will add some youth to this core and hopefully some health. Stribling hasn’t missed a game over the past 2 years in college, however in 2023 he only was able to play 4 games for Oklahoma State dealing with a wrist injury. With a decent injury history, Stribling hopes to break the 49ers injury curse with a healthy 2026 season.

Now let’s get into the actual player De’Zhaun Stribling. Like aforementioned, he posted a 55-811-6 stat line in 2025 on a top SEC school in Ole Miss. Stribling stands 6’2”, 205lbs and can fly, posting a 4.36 second 40-yard dash at this year’s combine. This is an interesting build for a 49ers’ WR. The Niners desperately need a WR that can extend the field and provide some deep threat options for Purdy and hopefully Stribling can help with that. Being so tall and fast, Stribling will provide some needed mismatches on the outside. Pair this with the Mike Evans opposite, the Niners will be giving opposing corners fits. However, when watching Stribling’s tape, he doesn’t pop off the screen as a deep threat. He actually reminds me of a Deebo Samuel funnily enough. Ole Miss utilized Stribling’s RAC skills and Stribling excelled running shorter hitch routes and displaying great RAC ability. With his speed and ability to force missed tackles, don’t be surprised when he breaks a huge play for the Niners this season. He also brings in another much-needed skillset that head coach Kyle Shanahaan loves, his blocking. At his 6’2” frame, he is a perfect replacement for WR Jauan Jennings who remains a free agent. Stribling’s blocking ability as a WR might be a huge factor into getting some early season playing time.

Starting out his role will most likely be limited, coming into camp he will have to beat Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins to earn the WR4 spot. The Niners brought on 5 WRs to their opening day roster in 2025, so De’Zhaun is a sure bet to make the roster, but true playing time to start might be far and few between. With the 49ers injury history though, don’t be surprised if we see meaningful downs from Stribling later in the season.

Overall, I would give this pick a B. I don’t think Stribling is a bad player by any means, and he projects well as an NFL receiver. But he was a projected late 2^nd, even 3^rd round pick so the Niners did potentially reach a little bit. Only time will tell with this pick, I like it more than most football fans but there are real concerns with the pick considering the reach and potential logjam at WR.

Third Round: Romello Height

In the third round, the Niners go with EDGE Romello Height with the 70^th pick. This is a needed pick for some defensive edge depth. Romello is a 6’3” 235lb edge out of Texas Tech. Romello had an impressive season on the opposite side of 2^nd overall pick David Bailey during his final NCAA season. Height ended 2025 with 10 sacks, 2 FF, and 11.5 tackles for loss while earning All-Big 12 First Team honors. Height started his collegiate career in Auburn in 2020, transferred to USC in 2022, Georgia Tech in 2024, before finally finishing his career at Texas Tech in 2025. Before arriving to Texas Tech, Height had a total of 6.5 sacks throughout his career, all coming in his 2023 & 2024 seasons.

Romello is a fast edge that can create ruckus in the pocket very easily. He does have some concerns translating to the NFL however. As of April 2026, he is 25 years ranking as one of the oldest players to get drafted this year. With him being 25 years old, I’m not sure how much more improvement can be made. He’s had 5 years at the collegiate level to improve, not sure what is going to change at the NFL level. For an edge, he is slightly under sized. He stands at 6’3” but his frame is not super bulky which can be a concern. Now I don’t see him getting very much if any playing time on 1^st & 2^nd down. Height will be a primarily 3^rd down passing down type of player. So, his size and frame might not factor in too much, but if he does want to become a 3-down player, he will need massive improvement in the run game which getting a little bigger might help.

Something that pops out from the Height’s tape is his pursuit. He can get into the pocket quick and pursue the ballcarrier with no problem. I don’t see many QBs outrunning Height once he gets in the vicinity. Height is very explosive off the edge and gets into the backfield very quick. He has a great swim move and can hit the occasional inside spin move effectively. He did play alongside number 2 pick David Bailey which definitely helped him, but playing alongside Nick Bosa and Mikael Williams will hopefully have a similar effect for Romello. Height is an intriguing player for the Niners; he fills a need but isn’t a very high upside pick. I don’t mind the pick, going for a win now player should help in the short term, but we’ll see if he is able to make a second contract with the team.

In 2026 expect Height to play primarily on passing downs only. He has good instincts in the run game, but his frame just won’t be able to hold up consistently in the NFL to be an effective run blocker. With Bryce Huff retiring this offseason, Romello will fill his role to a tee. Overall, I give this pick a B+. Some immediate impact but who knows what the future holds for Romello Height.

Third Round: Kaelon Black

The Niners 2^nd pick in the 3^rd round went to Indiana RB Kaelon Black. Of all the selections made this past weekend from the Niners, this pick was the most puzzling. Before the draft the RB room consisted of Christian McCaffrey, Jordan James, Issac Gurrendo, and FB Kyle Juszczyk. You can make the argument that another back could be needed, especially considering the injury history of the room, but spending a 3^rd round pick on one was quite surprising. Kaelon Black posted 5.6 Y/A, 10 TDs, and just surpassed 1000 rushing yards during his final National Championship season at Indiana. Black is a physical runner with sneaky tackle breaking skills.

When watching his tape, he doesn’t stand out as a star running back. He isn’t the fastest back although he has good speed, he also isn’t the most elusive. But he somehow makes it work by breaking tackles in the open field with hesitation moves and some powerful running. Something Black does that is quite impressive is his pass protection. Over the past two seasons at Indiana only allowing one sack is pretty impressive. He shows no fear when taking on defensive lineman in the pocket and does a great job at it. This might be a major factor in getting some playing time in his rookie season.

Like I said, this pick is a little puzzling. I don’t see much playing time for Black in his rookie season barring any injuries. If CMC can stay healthy expect Black to be the RB3 this year behind Jordan James. Black may see some early season snaps and if he performs well he may see an increased role. But until there is an injury to the RB room, Black will be very limited in his role. I’m going to give this pick a C. There is potential for some real impact this year but realistically won’t see the field too much unless there are injuries. In that case, this pick might pan out well and Black might be a solid backup for Christian McCafferey for years to come.

Fourth Round: Gracen Halton

One of my favorite picks from this 49er draft class. Gracen Halton, DT from Oklahoma. Halton stands 6’3” 295lbs and is a beast on the interior defensive line. He led all of FBS in 2025 with a 9.9% run stop rate. Even though his run stopping stats are incredible, when watching him, he gets in the backfield quite often and quick, causing pressure for opposing QBs. Totaling 8.5 sacks throughout his 4 years at Oklahoma, he has an impressive arsenal of moves to get to the QB. His measurables aren’t amazing for a DT with shorter arms, but I think he makes up for it with his speed. He has quick moves which allow him to get into the backfield fast and make plays. He can see plays develop before they happen which led to big play breakups at Oklahoma this past year. His short arms may be a concern at the next level, and he might struggle getting off blocks, but with his quickness, he may be able to make up for some of those weaknesses.

Expect Halton to get a good amount of exposure in his rookie year. At least more than a typical fourth round pick. He has some competition with the addition of Osa Odighizuwa and returners like C.J. West, and Alfred Collins which he won’t be able to beat out. But Halton will fit into the rotation and provide some punch for this interior defensive line. He has some work to do but with his skillset, it might be hard to keep him off the field. I would give this pick an A. Considering where the Niners were able to get him, I think this is a steal and a position of need. Hopefully we can see some rookie impact early in the year.

Fourth Round: Carver Willis

20 picks after the Halton selection the Niners decided to go with a much-needed offensive lineman, Carver Willis out of Washington. Willis is a 6’5” 300lb tackle from Washington who provides some much-needed OL depth for the Niners. The Niners desperately need some depth at the OL position, and this is exactly what Willis provides. I would be extremely surprised if he gets any snaps this season to be honest. He is a good run blocker but doesn’t provide much else. He played tackle in his time at Washington, but I expect him to transition to guard as it fits his play style a little better. Like I said I don’t see him getting any playing time in his rookie season, if there are some injuries along the OL, he can maybe get some snaps. But this is a sure-fire depth pick, and he’ll need some development and can maybe project to be a starter in the coming years.

I’m going to give this pick a C+. Willis doesn’t strike me as an exciting pick, but one of the boring picks that might save the Niners years down the road. I don’t see an impact any time soon but will provide some much-needed depth and injury insurance for an injury riddled team.

Fourth Round: Ephesians Prysock

Another surprising pick for the Niners, they decide to go with CB Ephesians Prysock. Prysock is a tall lengthy corner out of Washington. He stands 6’3” 195lbs and runs a 4.45 second 40-yard dash. He has impressive measurables and stacks up to be a very good corner. But there is a reason he fell to the fourth round. Even with his impressive size and speed, Prysock lacks in coverage. He can play well man-to-man press coverage, but outside of that, there is nothing too special. He plays consistent good defense, but it doesn’t really jump off the tape at all. He doesn’t let up many big plays at 8.3 yards per reception, which is good, but he also doesn’t have great ball skills which is something this Niners defense could use. Finishing his collegiate career with only 2 interceptions is a little concerning considering his size and length.

Good thing the Niners have some good cornerbacks already that will mentor and give Prysock some time to develop. Prysock will not have an immediate impact on defense, but I think he can be a real impact player on special teams. With his size and speed, I expect to see some big plays throughout the season on special teams. Give him a year or two under Demo and Renardo Green, and Prysock can be a starter for the Niners defense, but I would be surprised to see him on the field playing corner for the Niners in the 2026 season. I’d give this pick a C+. Hopefully Prysock can play on special teams and provide some quality snaps there.

Fifth Round: Jaden Dugger

During the draft the Niners dealt LB Dee Winters to the Cowboys leaving a hole for LB depth. So, in the fifth round Jaden Dugger is selected out of Louisiana. Dugger spent 2 years at Georgetown before transferring to Louisiana to finish his junior and senior seasons. In his senior season he totaled 125 total tackles, 13 TFL, and 4 sacks where he earned First-Team All-Sun Belt Conference. Dugger was a former safety transitioned to off ball linebacker, he stands 6’4” 240lbs and has an over 7ft wingspan. His frame is an interesting one for a linebacker in the NFL. He ran a 4.61 second 40-yard dash at his pro day.

Dugger is a good tackler that wraps up and pursuits well. However, with his big frame, he does have a slightly underdeveloped lower half for an NFL linebacker. I’m sure he will be in the gym this offseason preparing to work alongside All-Pro Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, but he will need to get a little bigger to prove his spot on this Niners roster. He has good tackling ability and with his experience playing safety he plays well in the pass game. But he will need to get a little stronger and keep getting reps at the LB position to get a feel for the run game and blocking schemes.

Dugger fills a LB depth hole with the departure of Winters and is a decent pick overall. Dugger was projected by some to go undrafted so there might be some questions or concerns with where the Niners decided to draft him. But it is an intriguing pick that could turn into a great pick if Dugger can develop into a starting role his sophomore season. I’d give this pick a B-. Considering it might’ve been a reach and potentially could’ve gotten Dugger post-draft and lack of experience in the LB position, there might’ve been better options. But Dugger is an interesting project that could turn out well for the 49ers.

Fifth Round: Enrique Cruz Jr.

With their final pick being in the fifth round, the Niners reach again and select OL Enrique Cruz Jr. out of Kansas. Cruz played his final collegiate career at Kansas allowing 2 sacks in 663 snaps according to PFF. Cruz had a great combine posting an NFL Athletic Score of 91, ranking 3^rd of all tackles. With such a high athleticism score there is real potential here. He is a big guy standing 6’5” 315lbs that can move fast. He played tackle throughout college and unlike Carver Willis, I think Cruz will stick at tackle. The Niners did sign free agent swing tackle Vederian Lowe, but Cruz will fit in alongside Lowe as the team’s backup swing tackles. He is a ferocious run blocker that can pummel defenders with his big frame and strong arms. In the pass game he might struggle against top edge rushers that have an arsenal of rush moves.

Cruz is a good pick here from the Niners. Some considered it a reach but with this pick being their last pick in the draft, I understand it. They didn’t want to let Cruz slip away in the later rounds. I’d give this pick a solid B. Probably won’t see much playing time in 2026 but he could make some waves during camp and potentially slide himself into the primary backup role for the tackles.

Summary

The 2026 NFL Draft for the San Francisco 49ers gave me mixed emotions. Taking another WR with a top pick was questionable but I think Stribling can play a role at times throughout the season, especially if there are injuries to the WR core. John Lynch also took another mid round RB which was very questionable. I think there were more pressing needs that could’ve been addressed instead of a RB, but we’ll see how it plays out. It could pan out great if Kaelon Black can win the RB2 spot and take over if there are any injuries to CMC. I do have to give credit where credit is due with the Romello Height and Gracen Halton picks which address the DL depth. Those are both rookies who I think can find their way into a consistent role within the DL rotation. They also addressed the OL needs with Carver Willis and Enrique Cruz Jr., and we will just have to see how training camps plays out to really understand what type of backup role they will be in. The Ephesians Prysock pick was also a little puzzling but could end up being a pick we look back on as a steal with his interesting frame. Same goes for Jaden Dugger who might be the LB that the Niners thought Dee Winters was.

Overall, I will give the Niners’ 2026 NFL Draft a C+.