49ers Make Brock Purdy "Mr. Irrelevant"
The 49ers had the honor of selecting this year's Mr. Irrelevant -- the final pick of the NFL Draft. And with that pick -- No. 262 -- the 49ers took Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy.
Purdy almost certainly won't make the 49ers' 53-man roster, because the 49ers already have a backup quarterback -- Nate Sudfeld. The 49ers essentially made Purdy the first undrafted free agent taken. He will serve as a camp arm during the summer and, if he plays well, he could earn a spot on the practice squad.
It would have been nice if the 49ers had drafted someone else who had an actual chance to make the team.
After the draft, head coach Kyle Shanahan compared Purdy to former 49ers backup quarterback Nick Mullens, because they're both physically limited quarterbacks who play well from the pocket. But Mullens was a prolific college quarterback -- he broke Brett Favre's records at Southern Miss.
Purdy was a four-year starter in college, but he wasn't a prolific passer. He was solid, and he could scramble a little bit, unlike Mullens, who's a pure pocket passer.
Purdy reminds me of another former 49ers backup quarterback -- C.J. Beathard. The 49ers traded up for Beathard in Round 3 in 2017. Now, they get a Beathard clone with the final pick of 2022.
Shanahan clearly has a type when it comes to backup quarterbacks.
But it's disappointing that Shanahan didn't find a mobile quarterback to back up Trey Lance. Because if Lance gets injured and misses time, the 49ers will have to abandon their Trey Lance offense and do something else.
Until Shanahan commits to mobile quarterbacks and names Lance the starter, people always will question how confident Shanahan is in his young quarterback.
But that's none of Purdy's concern. Congrats to this year's Mr. Irrelevant.
