49ers QB Brock Purdy is 3rd-Highest-Graded Quarterback of 21st Century

Brock Purdy is either one of the most overrated or underrated quarterbacks of all time. I can't decide which one.

Some people think he's a glorified system quarterback who would fail on most other teams like his predecessor Jimmy Garoppolo. Other people think Brock Purdy is one of the best quarterbacks to enter the league in the past 25 years.

Pro Football Network falls into the second camp. According to them, Purdy is the NFL's third-highest-graded quarterback of the 21st century behind only Peyton Manning and Patrick Mahomes.

"Brock Purdy landing at No. 3 may be a surprise, but the San Francisco 49ers’ 2022 Mr. Irrelevant has outperformed every expectation," writes PFN's Brandon Austin.

"While his three-year sample size is smaller than most on this list, Purdy’s early returns are impossible to ignore. He’s started 36 games, thrown for 9,518 yards, 64 touchdowns, and 27 interceptions. In 2023, his first full season as San Francisco’s starter, Purdy led the NFL in net yards per attempt (8.74), yards per completion (13.9), passer rating (113.0), and touchdown rate (7.0%).

"Despite a 23-13 regular-season record and 4-2 playoff mark, some still label Purdy a 'game manager' due to Kyle Shanahan’s scheme and the supporting cast. But the metrics say otherwise.

"Purdy’s +0.21 EPA per dropback ties Mahomes for second all time, trailing only Manning. He leads the league in net yards per attempt (8.4) and has a +0.43 EPA/DB from a clean pocket. He’s also efficient as a runner, posting a +0.57 EPA per designed run across 35 such plays.

"Purdy is not yet a consensus top-tier quarterback, but his start suggests his ceiling is far higher than many thought."

With all due respect to Infante, his analysis is a bit shoddy. He writes that Purdy's early returns are impossible to ignore, and yet he completely ignores Purdy's disappointing 2024 season. Never mentions it.

That season was instructive because it was Purdy's first without Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk, who played in just 11 games combined and never at the same time. And Purdy struggled without them.

Purdy still has to show that he can be the man. Right now, he still isn't one of the top three players on his own offense. Which is why it's absurd to rank him ahead of Tom Brady, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.