Brock Purdy faced uncertainty last offseason as he underwent surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his throwing arm. As the last overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, expectations for the young quarterback were unclear heading into the 2023 season.
Purdy had shown promise as a rookie, stepping into the starting lineup after injuries sidelined Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. However, with a limited sample size, it was difficult to predict his future success.
Purdy defied the odds, throwing for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions while recording an NFL-leading 113.0 passer rating. His passing yards set a new single-season franchise record, and the young quarterback led the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance, an impressive feat for the former "Mr. Irrelevant."
NFL Network is currently unveiling its NFL Top 100 Players of 2024 countdown, and Purdy made his debut on the list at No. 28.
Brock Purdy debuts at No. 28 on the #NFLTop100!
Players 30-21 revealed now on #NFLPlus: https://t.co/kKm5hKfQai pic.twitter.com/QIBr1a5zcI
— NFL (@NFL) July 30, 2024
"It turns out 2022 was no fluke," wrote Bobby Kownack of NFL Media. "Purdy has firmly entrenched himself in San Francisco's future two years after he was drafted as Mr. Irrelevant. The 24-year-old signal-caller threw for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last season while leading the NFL in TD percentage (7.0%), yards per attempt (9.6), passer rating (113.0) and QBR (72.8). More importantly, he's yet to fall short of the NFC Championship Game and was some Patrick Mahomes magic away from capturing a Lombardi in February."
In just two seasons, Purdy, the former No. 262 overall pick, has thrown for 5,654 yards, completing 68.7 percent of his passes and tossing 44 touchdowns against 15 interceptions. He aims to build on his impressive 2023 campaign.
On Tuesday night, two other 49ers stars were revealed in the rankings. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel was listed at No. 30, marking a 31-spot jump from last year, while defensive end Nick Bosa landed at No. 27, a 23-spot drop from a year ago.
"Deebo does it all for the 49ers," Kownack wrote. "Samuel fought through a litany of injuries in 2023 to put his dynamic skill set to work in 15 games. His 60 receptions and 892 receiving yards were his second-best results through five seasons, and he achieved a new career high with seven touchdown receptions. Samuel topped that off with another five scores and 225 yards on 37 rushing attempts, good for a 6.1 yards-per-carry average."
In his five NFL seasons, Samuel has accumulated 5,129 scrimmage yards and 38 total touchdowns.
Regarding Bosa, Kownack noted, "He didn't reach the heights of his Defensive Player of the Year campaign the season prior, but Bosa was still a pivotal part of the Niners' defense in 2023 as one of the league's most dangerous pass rushers. By pacing San Francisco with 10.5 sacks, Bosa moved his career tally to 53.5 while logging a third straight season with both double-digit sacks and a Pro Bowl nod by year's end."
The NFL Top 100 is unique because it is voted on by the players, making it a tremendous honor to be included. The ranking is based on player performance during the previous year and anticipated performance in the upcoming season. This year's edition marks the league's 14th.
Five 49ers players have now been revealed in this year's edition of the NFL Top 100 countdown. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw came in at No. 76, and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk landed at No. 66. Expect to see several more 49ers players' names revealed as the NFL continues its countdown toward the league's top players.