The Seattle Seahawks didn't have a ton of draft capital in 2026, but they were still among the event's winners. Not only did they address most of their positional needs, but they also watched the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers make some questionable decisions.
The 49ers drew mixed reviews when they moved up in the second round to get Ole Miss' De'Zhaun Stribling, a physically impressive but unpolished player who was projected to be a Round 3 selection. Not only was the positional need questionable, but guys like Denzel Boston were still available.
However, as much of a head-scratcher as this was, Moe Moton of Bleacher Report talked himself into thinking he might make the Pro Bowl as a rookie. In his latest column, he made a case for Stribling as a big-play specialist in the Bay Area.
Seattle Seahawks fans should rejoice at the 49ers' glaring draft blunder
"The 49ers moved out of the first round and selected Stribling with the first pick on Day 2, which indicates the team has a plan for him to contribute early in his career," argued Moton. "... Stribling can provide an explosive element to the 49ers offense that keeps him on the field."
The 49ers have two aging players in Christian Kirk and Mike Evans. Also, George Kittle, Ricky Pearsall, and Christian McCaffrey are all injury-prone, and Jauan Jennings won't return. As such, it does make sense that Stribling could be poised for a bigger role at some point in the season. That said, it might be just wishful thinking.
Seahawks fans can only laugh at the fact that, of all the things the 49ers could do after barely moving the chains in their final two games with the defending champions, they chose to reach to get a raw prospect who would've been available 30-ish picks later anyway.
Stribling looks like a poor man's DK Metcalf, but it takes much more than just a strong build and speed to thrive in the league. He's not a polished route-runner, didn't do great in contested catch situations, isn't great at creating separation, and often struggled to find running lanes after the catch. He's big, strong, and will be tough to tackle, but he may need some time before being ready for a big role.
The Seahawks held the 49ers to 9 total points and 248 combined passing yards in their last two meetings. Adding a banged-up wide receiver like Mike Evans, a slot specialist past his prime in Christian Kirk, and a projected third-rounder who might be more of a blocker than a pass catcher won't do much to help their case.
Of course, we've seen some guys outplay their draft stock and make scouts and general managers look foolish. That said, the 49ers' track record in the NFL draft with John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan makes it hard to take this prediction seriously.
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