NFL news: San Francisco 49ers welcome eight new additions from the 2026 NFL Draft
After trading away their only 1st round pick this year, the 49ers' draft really began from round two onwards and saw them pick up eight new players for their roster, with four additions on each side of the ball.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer and San Francisco 49ers fan Luca Salmasi takes a closer look at the latest members to join the Santa Clara franchise and what they bring to the table ahead of the start of the 2026 season.
WR - De’Zhaun Stribling (Pick 33)
The 49ers’ first pick, De’Zhaun Stribling, played for four seasons at the college level for the likes of Washington State, Oklahoma State, and Ole Miss.
Stribling was a key contributor on some of college football's most productive offenses, earning an All-Pac-12 honorable mention honours as well as being named to the Biletnikoff Award preseason watch list.
Stribling led Pac-12 freshmen in catches, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns across a career where he totaled 261 receptions. 2,964 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns.
Stribling will bring an explosive element to the 49ers receiving core with his speed and size, as well as not being afraid to do the dirty work in the run game.
And with veteran receivers on short-term deals, Stribling fits the need for a third wide receiver, who can certainly develop up the depth chart and become a long-term option.
DE - Romello Height (Pick 70)
Romello Height spent six seasons in college across the four teams of Auburn, USC, Georgia Tech, and Texas Tech, who emerged as a consistent disruptive presence from the edge and was a well-known threat to opposing quarterbacks.
He earned first-team All-Big 12 honours and was named to the Pro Football Focus All-Big 12 Team during his senior season.
Over his college career, Height totalled 111 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, and 16.5 sacks.
At Texas Tech, Height had a breakout 2025 campaign where he recorded 10 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss.
After Bryce Huff retired, the 49ers were lacking a style of pass rusher they have historically thrived with.
Height’s athleticism of the line, and his speed to turn the corner on opposing offensive linemen, brings exactly what the 49ers are after.
Whilst Nick Bosa and last year's 2025 pick Mykel Williams will be in for the most part in the base packages.
However, when they change to a more aggressive nickel package, that is where Height will thrive and where you should see plenty of him causing havoc from the edge.
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RB - Kaelon Black (Pick 90)
The 49ers are seeking to significantly reduce Christian McCaffrey’s workload as the primary running back in the upcoming seasons, making Kaelon Black a key, fresh option to share the load.
Black played six seasons in college football at Indiana University and James Madison, providing key contributions in a versatile offensive role and earning Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll recognition at James Madison.
Over Black’s career, he totaled 2,261 rushing yards with multiple 100-yard rushing games, while finding the end zone 10 times during his final season at Indiana.
DL - Gracen Halton (Pick 107)
Grace Halton played four seasons for the Oklahoma Sooners, emerging as one of the team’s most disruptive defensive linemen during his final two seasons.
As team captain in 2025, he earned SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honours and All-SEC Second Team after totalling 33 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, whilst adding a team-high seven quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown.
Across Halton’s career has totalled 84 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.
Halton will join the competition for playing time, bringing a good overall quickness and athleticism for an interior defensive lineman, alongside being effective at finding the best path towards the quarterback.
OL - Carver Willis (Pick 127)
Before the recent news of Trent Williams finally signing his new contract with the 49ers, the franchise was always going to be looking at bringing in a new offensive tackle, regardless of the outcome.
Carver Williams played in six seasons of college football five of which at Kansas State and one at the University of Washington.
Willis joined the Huskies program in his final year of college in 2025 and emerged as a tackle that anchored the offensive line and earned an honourable mention in the All-Big Team honours as a starter.
Willis was a key contributor in cutting the team’s sacks conceded in half, whilst also creating lanes to improve the running game.
With NFL legend Williams remaining in the locker room, Willis has the perfect opportunity to learn from one of the greats of the game and with a team that likes to run the football, he is a solid backup that could potentially become a starter in the future, depending on how long is left of Williams’ career in the NFL.
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CB - Ephesians Prysock (Pick 139)
Ephesians Prysock played four seasons across two programs at the University of Arizona and the University of Washington, playing a key role in the Huskies' secondary.
Prysock earned an honourable mention All-Big Ten in 2025 and the same All-Pace 12 honourable mention as a sophomore earlier in his college career in 2023.
And finally, in Prysock’s senior year, he earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Academic team.
In Prysock’s 2025 season alone, he tied the team with seven pass breakups and started all 13 games for the Huskies.
Over his college career, Prysock totalled 173 tackles, 116 solo tackles, 57 assisted tackles and 20 passes defended, as well as two interceptions and a forced fumble.
LB - Jaden Dugger (Pick 154)
Jaden Duggar played across Georgetown and Louisiana across his four years in college football, becoming a key contributor on defence, transitioning from safety to linebacker during his career.
Duggar earned First-team All-Sun Belt honours in 2025 after having a fantastic senior season leading his team with 125 tackles, including 13 tackles for loss, as well as four sacks.
Over Duggar’s career, he totalled 220 tackles, showcasing his versatility with experience in pass coverage, pass rushing and run support.
Duggar’s versatility is crucial for the 49ers as he is a different style of linebacker than they have typically brought in over the last few seasons.
Dugger’s size offers a different element with his size, which opens more opportunities for him to get on the field as an extremely versatile chess piece on the 49ers defence, that could see him line up even as far down as an effective edge rusher or pass rusher as a blitzer.
OL - Enrique Cruz Junior (Pick 179)
Enrique Cruz played five seasons across Syracuse and Kansas, becoming a key contributor along the offensive line.
Cruz started 18 games at Syracuse, 15 at left tackle and three at right tackle over four seasons before transferring to Kansas in 2025.
At Kansas, he started all 12 games at right tackle and earned All-Big 12 Honourable Mention honours.
Cruz showcased explosive power and controlled footwork alongside many of his key positive attributes and ranked third among offensive tackles at the NFL Combine in terms of athleticism.
Cruz's experience at both sides of the offensive line puts him in a great position to become a potential starter alongside Willis, neither of whom will most likely take Williams top spot at left tackle, giving him the upper hand, especially as he moved to right tackle at Kansas before being drafted.
