Stribling torched the track at Lucas Oil Stadium last month. He clocked an official 4.36 in the 40-yard dash, instantly forcing scouts to hit the rewind button on his SEC tape. You rarely see a 207-pound wideout separate that cleanly from defensive backs. Stribling recorded 55 receptions for 811 yards and six touchdowns during his final campaign in Oxford. He brings size, blazing top-end speed, and a brutal physicality to the perimeter.
Scouts rate him as one of the best blocking receivers in the 2026 class. He puts defensive backs on the turf. When a team wants to run the ball down your throat, a perimeter blocker like Stribling dictates the edge. While he still needs to refine his short-area burst to consistently beat press-man coverage underneath, his ability to take the top off a defense makes him a dangerous weapon from day one. You could almost feel the tension in the stadium every time he lined up on the boundary in the SEC; defenders knew the deep ball was coming, and they still couldn’t stop it.
Tennessee isn’t the only team circling the Ole Miss standout. Stribling’s pre-draft dance card is completely packed:
Stribling’s path to the NFL wasn’t a straight line. The Hawaii native packed his bags and traveled across the country to chase his dream. He started at Washington State, took a detour to Oklahoma State, and eventually found his home under the bright lights of Ole Miss. You have to respect a kid who moves his entire life around the map just to find the perfect fit. His family even relocated to Oxford to support him during his final college season. That kind of tight-knit support system builds character, and it translates directly into how he handles his business on the gridiron.
When you break down the tape, the analysis goes beyond pure straight-line speed. Stribling forces cornerbacks to flip their hips early. The moment a defender hesitates, he violently plants his foot and breaks vertically. He uses his length to box out smaller defensive backs, tracking the ball through heavy traffic.
“My versatility is going to bring a lot to an NFL offense. I can play any receiver spot. My speed, especially when I have the ball in my hands, makes me a threat in the open field. I was making pancakes out there. I tried to do whatever I could to help the team win.”
— De’Zhaun Stribling, Ole Miss Wide Receiver
The Titans desperately need receivers who can out-muscle defensive backs and track the deep ball. Robert Saleh was hired to bring a fast, violent identity to Nashville, and Stribling matches that exact blueprint. Expect the Titans to target him on Day 2 or early Day 3 of the draft. If general manager Ran Carthon pulls the trigger, Stribling will instantly compete for starting reps on the outside, giving Tennessee a much-needed physical presence who can stretch opposing defenses past their breaking point.
