49'ers Brock Purdy's unlikely journey reshapes NFL expectations and takes him from an overlooked prospect to Super Bowl starter

Before Brock Purdy was the NFL’s last pick, the 49ers quarterback was rated as his national high school class’ 39th-best passer, behind a host of current college stars.

LAS VEGAS — A wealth manager, a former payroll specialist and a tractor company employee were all — not long ago — rated as superior quarterbacks to San Francisco 49ers star Brock Purdy, who’ll be on pro football’s ultimate stage this weekend.

Purdy’s meteoric rise — from dead-last draft pick to MVP finalist and Super Bowl signal caller — laid bare the nearly impossible task of predicting future skill on the gridiron in evaluations that often make or break careers.

Purdy insists that his long, under-the-radar path has been a blessing in disguise.

“It’s been the story of my life, being overlooked in high school, I wasn’t a high recruit,” Purdy told reporters Thursday. “All I needed was a shot and an opportunity, and coach [Matt] Campbell gave it to me at Iowa State and sure enough life is repeating itself. I was drafted last, went to the Niners and got an opportunity.”

Before Purdy, dubbed Mr. Irrelevant as the 262nd selection of the 2022 NFL Draft, made the Niners roster out of 2022 training camp, his odds of even playing big-time college football seemed remote.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/brock-purdy-nfl-expectations-super-bowl-starter-rcna136848

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