Is Brock Purdy the Best Young Quarterback in the NFL?

Brock Purdy might win the MVP award this season, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's the best young quarterback in the NFL.

A few young quarterbacks currently are playing at an extremely high level and do not seem phased by the playoffs in the slightest. There's a new generation of excellent quarterbacks emerging. Where does Purdy fit in it?

It's fair to say right now that he's better than Bryce Young, Justin Fields, Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts. Those four obviously would perform better if they were on the 49ers as opposed to their current teams, but they wouldn't perform as well as Purdy.

Let's rank the top five young quarterbacks who are 25 or younger in ascending order.

5. Trevor Lawrence, 24.

He plays with a mediocre supporting cast and a terrible offensive line that holds him back, but he still doesn't see the field as well as he should.

4. Brock Purdy, 24.

He can't drive the ball with zip, but he can do everything else, he's extremely difficult to sack and contain in the pocket, plus he sees the field as well as any quarterback in the league. Sometimes he takes risks he doesn't need to because he wants to be seen as a gunslinger instead of a game manager. That's why he has thrown 10 picks in the 49ers' past 10 games.

3. Jordan Love, 25.

Physically, he can do everything. He's big, mobile and he has a strong arm. He can make every throw from the pocket and on the move. And he operates the Packers' system flawlessly because he has been in it for four years even though he has been a starter for just one. That's why he has thrown just 3 picks in his past 10 games. He's playing like a young Aaron Rodgers.

2. C.J. Stroud, 22.

The closest thing we've seen to Patrick Mahomes since Patrick Mahomes. Stroud makes everything seem easy and effortless, and he just turned 22. He could be No. 1 on this list real soon.

1. Justin Herbert, 25.

He'll turn 26 in March, so he won't be a young quarterback much longer. Still, he's outstanding and hasn't played for a competent offensive coordinator yet, unlike Stroud, Love and Purdy, who all play in the same system.