Is Quarterback Kurtis Rourke the 49ers' Next Diamond in the Rough?

The 49ers have a decent track record when it comes to drafting quarterbacks in Round 7.

That's where they picked Brock Purdy who just became the seventh-highest-paid player in the NFL in terms of annual average contract value. And that's where they took Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke just a few weeks ago.

Rourke is recovering from his second ACL surgery and might not be ready for training camp, which means he currently is fourth on the 49ers quarterback depth chart behind Purdy, Mac Jones and Tanner Mordecai.

Interestingly enough, Purdy was the 49ers' fourth-string quarterback when he first got drafted. He was behind Nate Sudfeld for an entire offseason. But Purdy beat him out, and the rest is history.

Could Rourke have a similar career trajectory? Pro Football Focus doesn't think that's likely.

"Rourke enters camp as the 49ers’ presumed third-string quarterback, assuming he makes the roster," writes PFF's Dalton Wasserman. "That outcome isn’t necessarily a negative, given Kyle Shanahan’s strong track record with quarterback development. Brock Purdy, a former seventh-round pick, now ranks among the NFL’s best under Shanahan. Rourke may not follow the same trajectory, but with Mac Jones on a two-year deal, there’s a potential path to the backup role in the future."

Rourke is intriguing because he's tall and he sees the field much better than Purdy, who's four inches shorter. Rourke is the same height as Tom Brady, who is Shanahan's platonic ideal for a quarterback. I'm not saying Rourke is the next Brady, but Brady was a sixth-round pick.

Don't be surprised if Rourke starts games for the 49ers at some point.