Wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling, a Kapolei native who finished his collegiate career at Ole Miss, on Friday became the first player with Hawaii ties taken in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The San Francisco 49ers took the 6-foot-2, 207-pound Stribling with the first pick on Day 2 of the draft, and 33rd overall.
“Very excited to be here, very excited to come to work,” Stribling said in an Instagram post from West Oahu. “So excited to be in the Bay, man. C’mon, Niner Gang let’s go.”
Stribling, who was a Honolulu Star-Advertiser all-state selection at Kapolei High and played for Washington State, Oklahoma State and Ole Miss in his five-year collegiate career, posted an impressive 4.36-second 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine to boost his stock.
He started his collegiate career as an All-Pac-12 honorable mention as a freshman at WSU under Nick Rolovich in 2021. He finished with 261 catches, 2,964 yards and 23 receiving touchdowns across his collegiate stops, including 55 grabs for 811 yards and six scores for Lane Kiffin and the Rebels in his final season.
The draft slot is valued at $13.4 million, according to Spotrac, with $2.4 million in Year 1.
Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.