Every year, Mike Sando of The Athletic releases his NFL quarterback tiers. This year, only three players landed in the top tier—Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, and Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills. Sando describes these players as those who can carry their teams each week without any significant weaknesses in their games. Last year's top tier also included Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets and Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers, who have since dropped out.
Last year, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was ranked in the fourth tier, a category largely consisting of unproven quarterbacks. This year, however, Purdy made a significant leap, climbing 13 spots to land at No. 12 overall, placing him in the second tier of signal-callers.
According to Sando, the second tier is reserved for quarterbacks who can occasionally carry their teams but not with the same consistency as top-tier players. These quarterbacks can handle pure passing situations in doses and possess other traits that elevate their game.
Purdy's 13-spot jump tied him with Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers, who landed at No. 14, for the largest improvement since last year.
"When they have had to move the ball via dropback pass, that has been the difference between him and Jimmy (Garoppolo)," a head coach told Sando. "Purdy has done it, and he's done it in moments where he had to pull the ball down against Detroit and go get a first down with his legs. He has an innate feel. He has proven even when it's not going well, he's a quarter away from clicking in, and you'd better have a lead when he does."
Critics often attribute Purdy's success to his talented supporting cast and head coach Kyle Shanahan's innovative offensive scheme. While one defensive coordinator acknowledged that the system does help Purdy, he also emphasized that the young quarterback maximizes the production from that system and deserves credit for it.
"Not big, not a great arm, but he's accurate, he knows when to get rid of the ball, he's sharp, he's a little bit better athlete than you think," the coordinator said.
An offensive play-caller added, "I honestly could debate calling Brock a 1. He is really underrated. Kyle Shanahan deserves a ton of credit, but there still has to be somebody at the switch."
However, one assistant general manager expressed some skepticism, suggesting that Purdy's placement might be a tier too high.
"I would slide him to the top of 3," the unnamed executive said. "I'm not sold that it is a universal skill set for varying systems. But for their system and their offense, they greatly capitalize on what his abilities are. That is a credit to the coaching staff."
Last year, Purdy received 26 votes as a fourth-tier player, 23 votes as a third-tier player, and just one vote as a second-tier player. Fast forward a year, and Purdy earned 16 votes as a third-tier player and 34 votes as a second-tier player. The young quarterback is starting to earn the recognition he deserves, and another impressive season on his résumé will solidify his status as one of the league's rising stars.
If Purdy continues to perform at a high level, he could move up The Athletic's quarterback ranks even further, potentially challenging for a spot among the NFL's elite passers.
