Brock Purdy doesn't have all the traits NFL teams look for in a franchise quarterback. That's why he nearly went undrafted. Of course, the San Francisco 49ers swooped in at the final second and made Purdy the last overall draft pick in 2022, ensuring he at least got a shot with the Bay Area team and not elsewhere.
Purdy doesn't have a rocket arm. He stands at 6-foot-1. He won't wow anyone with his athleticism, which isn't to say there isn't some there. That just means the quarterback will not keep defensive coordinators up at night worrying about going against a dual-threat freak of nature.
Despite what seems to be missing, one 49ers great believes in Purdy.
"Can he be great? Yes, I believe he can be great," Steve Young said Wednesday on KNBR. "And can he win Super Bowls? Yes, I believe he can win Super Bowls, especially with this roster, with this team, and where they are."
Nothing will come automatically for Purdy, though. The young quarterback has only eight career starts under his belt and still has a lot muchove.
"Brock has limitations," Young said. "Everyone does, I guess, at some level, but Brock has limitations. But he does things that don't expose it. He's so quick getting the ball out. He's so smart. He understands the game in such a unique way. ... The ball comes out, it spits out in a great spot. And that's why Kyle loves him.
"Kyle loves him because he's been begging for someone that he can call any play and get a trustworthy result. And that's why—what did you say? He's the real deal. Kyle didn't say that just as a joke. He really loves him for that reason."
Young notes that's why the 49ers coach loved Kirk Cousins. Shanahan wants a quarterback he can depend on to take his play and just run it effectively. He has that in Purdy. The added benefit is that the seventh-round draft pick isn't eating up anywhere close to as much salary-cap space as a player like Cousins.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Young below.