San Francisco 49ers players might be high on Brock Purdy after the rookie quarterback was compared to Peyton Manning after the team’s win over the Miami Dolphins last week.
But NFL analyst Greg Cosell brought fans back down to reality ahead of the team’s Week 14 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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"Look, there’s a reason he was the last pick in the draft," Cosell said Saturday on the "Ross Tucker Podcast." "Because he was a four-year starter at Iowa State, he did play 46 games as a starter, so he played a lot of college football.
"But he’s one of those guys that has average arm strength. He tends to be streaky with his accuracy. He does move well, and he’s not physically imposing. So, he was not seen as a good prospect."
Purdy made his debut for the 49ers last week against the Dolphins when Jimmy Garoppolo exited the game with a broken foot. Purdy, who is known as "Mr. Irrelevant" for being the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, was 25 for 37 with two touchdown passes and 210 passing yards.
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Cosell admitted he was encouraged by Purdy’s performance, though he didn’t think Purdy was a "gifted thrower" but was in the right situation to succeed.
"He’s one of these guys when he finds his rhythm, and you can see the confidence grow, he will turn it loose and make throws," he added.
Trent Williams and even Joe Montana expressed optimism about Purdy finishing the rest of the regular season.
"You would think he's been in the league 15 years. If you're talking, he'll say, 'Shut your a-- up.' He ain't no timid rookie feeling his way around. He will get on your a--. You would think he's like Peyton Manning or something. Wide receivers not running, you'll hear him cussing a wide receiver out," Williams told NFL Network.
Montana told USA Today that he thinks the 49ers could be vying for a Super Bowl if he performs like he did against Miami.
