Getty Brock Purdy on January 22, 2023 in Santa Clara versus the Dallas Cowboys.
The final pick of future NFL Drafts has new motivation moving forward. One look at what Brock Purdy accomplished toward the end of the 2022 season and it gives the next “Mr. Irrelevant” his motivation ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
The San Francisco 49ers quarterback certainly changed the way teams will view the last draft pick moving forward — following his undefeated run as a starter and taking the Niners to the NFC title game. While Purdy holds the title of “Mr. Irrelevant” from one year ago around this time, he sent some advice via New Heights with Travis and Jason Kelce on Monday, April 24 to whoever the upcoming last draft pick will be.
“Yeah, man, the term doesn’t define you,” Purdy began stating. “I feel like you got an opportunity, man. Gotta make the most of it just like anybody else. It’s your shot. You get a shot. Go make the most of it.”
Purdy did just that as finding himself as the third QB option following the devastating injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. Now, after going 5-0 in the regular season then getting the 49ers into the NFC title game, Purdy is being projected to have the starting QB reins moving forward.
Purdy Reflected on Last Year’s Draft Process
While Purdy was the recipient of positive feedback from NFL teams including the 49ers, even he knew that he wasn’t going to be the first quarterback taken. He, too, braced for the inevitability that he would fall to the draft’s final day.
“I didn’t think I was going the first day or two. It was really day three,” Purdy said. “For me, it was like, where am I gonna be at?”
While there was that anxiety thought of where he would end up, Purdy explained he never gave into which pick he would end up in — basically downplaying the thought of going last overall.
“I didn’t really care how I got there, I just wanted to get there and have an opportunity. Just waiting all day for a call,” Purdy said.
Turned out on day three of the draft, the 49ers had connected with him by phone before the final selections began.
“The 9ers had called me before the seventh round, and told me, ‘hey we got one more pick,'” he remembered.
Purdy turned to the internet to determine what exactly that meant for him.
“And so I went on my phone and googled it and saw I was the last pick, and was like, oh man, I’m about to be Mr. Irrelevant,” he said.
Now, there’s the strong chance Purdy becomes QB1 for the 49ers as trade chatter heats up for the 2021 No. 3 overall pick Lance ahead of day one of the draft on Thursday, April 27.
From NFL Now: The #49ers could end up trading QB Trey Lance, but the timing is important.
Who’s Projected to be This Year’s ‘Mr. Irrelevant?’
Never before has there been anticipation on who the last pick will be following Purdy’s journey.
So will the last pick be a quarterback? Chad Reuter of nfl.com doesn’t think so in his Friday, April 21 seven round mock draft. He has NCAA Division II wide receiver David Durden from the University of West Florida going at No. 259 to the Houston Texans.
That pick, however, puts the 25-year-old slot receiver option on a team who has people who know Purdy very well: New Texans head coach and Ex-49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans and former S.F. safety/nickelback Jimmie Ward.
CBS Sports is another one believing the final 2023 selection will be a WR. Draft analyst Josh Edwards has the Texans and Ryans taking Michigan wideout Ronnie Bell.
Coincidentally, Edwards projects the 49ers will make it two years in a row they’ll take a quarterback. This time, Edwards and CBS has national champion QB Stetson Bennett of Georgia going No. 253 to the Niners.