We discussed Bob McGinn and his two decades of polling NFL personnel before the draft. Now that we know who the San Francisco 49ers draft picks are, let’s take a look back at the comments from those scouts to see how they felt about the prospects before they knew where those players would land.
De’Zhuan Stribling wasn’t listed in the top 12. Deion Burks was selected 254th overall. We’ll use Pro Football Network’s write-up for Stribling. They gave the 49ers a D- for the pick and believe Stribling will be a WR3:
De’Zhaun Stribling is a Day 3 WR prospect with an intriguing blend of size, athleticism, and every-down utility. Originally a three-star recruit from Hawaii, Stribling began his career with the Washington State Cougars and broke out as a true freshman. Across his first two collegiate seasons, he totaled 95 catches for 1,073 yards and 10 touchdowns, then transferred to Oklahoma State. He missed all but four games to a hand injury in his first season with the Cowboys, then went 52-882-6 in 2024, before closing out his career with a 55-811-6 campaign at Ole Miss. Along the way, Stribling earned a solid 78 PFSN WR Impact score, and the analytics paint an even better picture. Per TruMedia, Stribling boasted a meager 2% drop rate with the Rebels, as well as a near-10% catch rate over expectation, and 2.29 RAC yards over expectation per catch. Stribling produced from the get-go in college, and that early breakout tracks with his high-level tools. At 6’2″, 207 pounds, with near-32″ arms and sub-4.4 speed, Stribling has a tantalizing size-speed profile on the vertical plane, as well as the combined catch radius and body control to make impressive high-difficulty catches at multiple ranges. Stribling’s route tree needs more development, but his non-elite hip fluidity and bend slightly reduces his ceiling in that department, and that could confine him to a rotational role at his maximum. Having said all this, Stribling has clear utility as a combined vertical and RAC threat with his speed, vision, physicality, and catch-point conversion, and he’s an excellent blocker as well. While he may never be a full-time starter, Stribling has a high-floor as a quality WR3 and rotational presence with niche receiving value and multi-phase utility.
PFN also gave the 49ers a D- for Romello Height, who didn’t crack the top 15 in Bob McGinn’s rankings. He was listed in the next five:
Romello Height, Texas Tech (6-2 ½, 238, 4.66)
Said one scout: “He and Bailey, it was almost like they were having a contest seeing who could get to the quarterback fastest. Good pass rusher. Plays hard. Inconsistent playing the run right now. I think a couple teams are talking about him and if he can be a linebacker and then drop down on passing downs. He did drop in coverage and wasn’t bad at it.”
Here’s what scouts had to say about Kaelon Black:
Kaelon Black, Indiana (5-9 ½, 208, no 40)
Said one scout: “Tough, hard-nosed son of a gun. A lot like Isiah Pacheco of Kansas City (now Detroit). Comes in and does the dirty work. That’s who he is. He’ll get you 3 or 4 yards. He won’t break the long run but he’ll be there every time. Black can pass pro and all that. He caught the ball a lot better at the Senior Bowl. Late to mid-round pick. Get on a roster and the coach is gonna love him. Indiana won with those type of kids this year. Guys that do the right thing.”
Black was 13th on that list. I’d push back on saying he won’t break the long run. That’s one of Black’s strong suits.
Gracen Halton was the 8th-ranked defensive tackle, so there were plenty of opinions about him:
8. GRACEN HALTON, Oklahoma (6-2 ½, 298, 4.82, 2-3): Started just 10 of 47 games over four years. “He’s a 3-technique, upfield guy,” one scout said. “I think he goes in the second. He’s really active, just really disruptive. Stronger than you think. People will discount him for (size, length) but the guy ran 4.8 and jumped 36 inches (36 ½ in the vertical, a position best). He’s got a lot of explosiveness and he plays really hard. There’s teams that try not to have guys like this and then there’s teams that say, ‘This guy’s too good a player. Let’s take him.’ I could see him going in the second and being a really good player.” Shortest arms (31 1/8) of the top 15 defensive linemen. Hands were 10. “He’s got quicks and he’s a terrific competitor,” a second scout said. “He is undersized. He does have a knack for slipping blocks and some penetration. The third round would be the high side for him. People would really value him more in the fourth and fifth. That’s where you take that kind of player.” Finished with 84 tackles (17 ½ for loss), 8 ½ sacks, three forced fumbles and two batted passes. “He can rush the passer but he really struggles against the run,” a third scout said. “I love his quickness and speed. Like him as a 3-technique that can rush. I thought fourth round because of the size.” Played tight end as a prep in San Diego. Four-star recruit.
That shows you how all over the place scouts can be with one prospect. A couple thought Halton would be drafted on Day 2, while others thought the value was on Day 3.
Those were the only players these scouts commented on.
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