Key Takeaways
- 49ers rookie receiver De’Zhaun Stribling switched from No. 15 to No. 7, the number Daejon Love allegedly wore while posing as a player, calling the coincidence “hilarious” and “kind of crazy.”
- Stribling said he chose No. 7 because he wore it in high school, and the 2026 No. 33 overall pick plans to ignore draft chatter and focus on catching passes, scoring touchdowns, and run blocking.
- Federal prosecutors allege Love and Taylor Jamie Chan used fake NFL and investment claims to scam at least 26 women out of roughly $1.3 million; both face wire fraud and conspiracy charges.
Daejon Love allegedly spent years pretending to be the San Francisco 49ers’ No. 7, but De’Zhaun Stribling only needed to ask for the jersey.
According to NBC Sports Bay Area, the rookie wide receiver has officially switched from No. 15 to the now-infamous number Love wore while allegedly posing as an NFL player and scamming women out of $1.3 million.
Stribling did not choose it because of the case, but he couldn’t miss the coincidence. “Yeah, that’s hilarious,” he said. “It’s kind of crazy, but it’s cool at the same time.”
The explanation behind the change is considerably less complicated than Love’s alleged scheme. Stribling wore No. 7 before he reached college and wanted to bring it back as he begins his NFL career.
“I wore 7 back in high school,” he said. “It was one of my favorite numbers at the time. I kind of want to be comfortable in that and do my thing.”
No staged signing ceremony was required. No Lamborghini, altered practice photo, or inaccurate Google AI result was needed. Stribling’s name appears on the actual roster.
San Francisco selected Stribling with the No. 33 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, placing him in position to make an immediate impact despite questions about whether other receivers should have gone ahead of him.
His preseason work answered much of that chatter, and he could have a prominent role when the 49ers open their season against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia. “I don’t really worry about all the outside noise or the opinions of where I was drafted,” Stribling said. “I’m just here to do my job: catch the ball, score touchdowns and be a great run blocker, also.”
Love’s version of No. 7 has already produced more content than game film. Videos reportedly showed him working out in 49ers gear and staging his own “signing day,” while social media photos featured football equipment and a red Lamborghini.
Wide receivers coach Leonard Hankerson recently pushed the joke inside the franchise by posting an altered image that appeared to show him coaching Love. Former 49ers receiver Kendrick Bourne commented, “Man I knew you was coaching him.” Hankerson replied, “Man I hate we lost him…. He was balling!!!”
Federal prosecutors tell a far more serious story. Love, 35, allegedly used his fake 49ers identity—or an alternate claim that he was a wealthy real estate investor—to gain the trust of women he met through dating apps. Authorities say Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, posed as Love’s financial adviser and helped promote nonexistent investments. At least 26 women allegedly sent the pair approximately $1.3 million.
Love and Chan were arrested at Boise Airport on August 24 after investigators learned Love had traveled to Idaho to meet potential new victims. Both face wire fraud and conspiracy charges.
