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The 49ers Draft Quarterback Kurtis Rourke in Round 7

This is a big surprise.
Grant Cohn|
Dec 20, 2024; Notre Dame, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke (9) throws during the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Dec 20, 2024; Notre Dame, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke (9) throws during the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

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San Francisco 49ers

SANTA CLARA -- This is a big surprise.

The 49ers just drafted Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke in Round 7 with pick No. 227. Rourke is the first quarterback the 49ers have taken in Round 7 in three years since they drafted Brock Purdy, who currently is negotiating a contract extension with the 49ers.

So instead of drafting an offensive linemen to protect their future investment, the 49ers drafted a backup quarterback in case Purdy gets injured again. Hmm.

Rourke currently is injured. He played through a knee injury last season and got surgery to repair it this offseason. As a result, he could miss the 2025 season. Which means the 49ers may have drafted a red-shirt quarterback.

When healthy, Rourke isn't a statue, but he's not particularly mobile, either. He's a pocket quarterback and he's not small. In fact, he's 6'4", 220 pounds. And while he doesn't have a cannon, he can layer throws over the middle with touch and accuracy, which makes him a good fit for the 49ers' passing game.

And considering all the success the 49ers have had with Purdy, they're probably confident they can turn Rourke into a good quarterback as well.

But at some point, the 49ers need to prioritize their offensive line. Instead of hoarding backup quarterbacks, invest in a quality offensive line that can keep the starter upright and healthy. Because we're nine picks into the 49ers draft and they still haven't taken a single offensive tackle.

That's why I can't give this pick a high grade.

Grade: C.

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Grant Cohn
GRANT COHN

Grant Cohn has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily since 2011. He spent the first nine years of his career with the Santa Rosa Press Democrat where he wrote the Inside the 49ers blog and covered famous coaches and athletes such as Jim Harbaugh, Colin Kaepernick and Patrick Willis. In 2012, Inside the 49ers won Sports Blog of the Year from the Peninsula Press Club. In 2020, Cohn joined FanNation and began writing All49ers. In addition, he created a YouTube channel which has become the go-to place on YouTube to consume 49ers content. Cohn's channel typically generates roughly 3.5 million viewers per month, while the 49ers' official YouTube channel generates roughly 1.5 million viewers per month. Cohn live streams almost every day and posts videos hourly during the football season. Cohn is committed to asking the questions that 49ers fans want answered, and providing the most honest and interactive coverage in the country. His loyalty is to the reader and the viewer, not the team or any player or coach. Cohn is a new-age multimedia journalist with an old-school mentality, because his father is Lowell Cohn, the legendary sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle from 1979 to 1993. The two have a live podcast every Tuesday. Grant Cohn grew up in Oakland and studied English Literature at UCLA from 2006 to 2010. He currently lives in Oakland with his wife.

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