Former NFL GM ranks Purdy among league’s top young talents Originally appeared in NBC Bay Area Sports
Brock Purdy continues gain recognition from all corners of the NFL.
Former NFL executive Jeff Diamond ranked Purdy, who surpassed former 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia (4,278 yards), as the player with the most yards. passing yards in a single season in franchise history with 4,280 last season, No. 6 among NFL players under the age of 25 on its roster. Team 33.
On Diamond’s list, only Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner, Detroit Lions offensive lineman Penei Sewell, Cowboys defensive back Micah Parsons and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson rank higher than the 23-year-old quarterback.
“’Mr. Irrelevant,’ as the last pick in the 2022 draft, has quickly established himself as highly relevant after winning his first seven starts (including two playoff games prior to his elbow injury) in his rookie season and following it up with a tremendous 2023 season,” Diamond wrote.
Purdy led the NFL with a 113.0 passer rating while throwing for 31 touchdowns during the 2023 season, guiding the 49ers to an NFC championship and an appearance in Super Bowl LVIII.
Purdy is the highest-ranked quarterback on Diamond’s list, one spot above the Houston Texans’ CJ Stroud, last season’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love and Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence also follow Purdy.
“Brock Purdy led the league in passer rating (113.0) with 4,280 passing yards and 31 touchdowns. He led the San Francisco 49ers to the NFC West title and then the Super Bowl before falling to the Chiefs in overtime,” Diamond continued. “He showed good running ability in addition to his passing ability in a Pro Bowl season.
“Purdy is in for a big payday if he continues at his current pace.”
With a full and healthy offseason as the team’s starting quarterback for the first time in his young career, Purdy also sits in the driver’s seat to continue to climb up anyone’s list, including Diamondback’s.