For years now, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has been at the center of a puzzling conversation. Fans and pundits alike have had difficulty agreeing on his place among the rest of the league’s other signal callers. Many have claimed he is elite and belongs in an unprecedented category, but others have argued he is nothing more than a system player – a mere product of his surroundings.
However torn the public has been about the subject, the debate might be coming to its conclusion, and Brock Purdy truthers might not like the end result.
The NFL has been rolling out its top 100 players, voted on by their peers. It’s arguably the most important and reliable list, as no one knows a player’s talent level quite like his opponents. Though the NFL has yet to unveil its top five, Purdy’s standing has long been finalized.
He ranked a meager 86th, somewhere between Bryce Young and Baker Mayfield.
Brock Purdy’s peers have spoken, and 49ers fans won’t like what they had to say
Assuming Josh Allen will land in the top five upon announcement, a total of 15 quarterbacks slot in ahead of the 49ers’ QB. That means, in the eyes of the NFL populace, Purdy is barely a top-half quarterback. It’s a true gut punch for those who champion the gunslinger.
Even though the San Francisco field general boasts several elite metrics, his opponents have decided he is hardly a difference-maker for his team. In contrast, running back Christian McCaffrey was rated the league’s sixth-best player on the same list. Purdy’s ranking is deflating, especially given that many are projecting a breakout season in his fifth year.
It will be difficult for those in Purdy’s corner to argue with such a loud statement. After all, no one knows a player’s skill level like those sharing the field with him. There will always be bias, but this list was created by the most elite football minds in the world. If they think Purdy barely cracks the top-100, then his standing is virtually inarguable until he proves otherwise.
Brock Purdy’s unfavorable position comes with a silver lining
There is a silver lining that comes with this list, though. Players are polled every year, and, to this point, the rankings have been extremely fluid.
Joe Burrow, for example, was the NFL’s sixth-best player ahead of last year. After a season marred by injury, he plummeted 38 spots.
On the flip side, Sam Darnold was ranked 72nd after his career-saving year with the Minnesota Vikings. After he won the Super Bowl this February, however, he rose 51 spots.
Simply put, players’ opinions can change. As athletes, a short-term memory is in their nature, and they update their evaluations of players when necessary. Purdy may not be viewed as an upper-echelon QB as of now, but that’s not to say he won’t be considered one in a year’s time. He’s just one elite campaign away from earning that recognition.
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