"Your arm strength is whatever, your accuracy is average” - Nick Saban's assessment of Brock Purdy couldn't be any further from reality
San Francisco 49ers rookie quarterback Brock Purdy has made a name for himself this season. He's been showing out as a for the Niners under unforeseen circumstances.
The final pick of the 2022 draft has led the 49ers to the Divisional round of the playoffs and has a 6-0 record since taking over as the starting quarterback.
Brock Purdy leaves the field to more “Purdy” chants.
6-0 as a starter in the NFL. Multiple TD’s in every game. Crown him. https://t.co/m2946ckTo1
Before surprising everyone in the NFL this season, Purdy was a four-year starter at Iowa State. Coming out of high school, Purdy was a three-star recruit and received 13 scholarship offers.
The Alabam Crimson Tide was on his radar and he visited the team in Tuscaloosa in January 2018. Head coach Nick Saban wasn't impressed by Purdy and Purdy called out the college great.
Purdy told Matt Barrows of The Athletic that Saban downplayed him as a recruit. Here's what Purdy said, via Barrows:
"He didn’t really know me." Coach Saban said: ‘You’re below average in height. Your arm strength is whatever. Your accuracy is average.’"
When he criticized his accuracy, Purdy thought:
"This guy doesn’t know me... Coach, he didn’t know who I was."
When Brock Purdy visited Alabama, Nick Saban said this to him:
“You’re below average in height. Your arm strength is whatever. Your accuracy is average”
Today, Brock Purdy will become the first QB taken in the 7th round to start in the divisional round
ANYTHING is possible 🔥 https://t.co/4u6c1gLwDQ
Purdy finished his collegiate career with 32 school records. These include career pass attempts, completions, percentage, yards, and both passing (81) and total (100) touchdowns. He was taken by the 49ers with the 262nd pick of the 2022 NFL draft.
Brock Purdy took the league by storm filling in for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo
Purdy has had an improbable rise this season. He was the last pick in the draft and entered the season as the team's third-string quarterback.
He was behind second-year first-round pick Trey Lance and veteran Jimmy Garoppolo.
After Lance suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2, Garoppolo took over as the team's starter. He suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury in Week 13 against the Miami Dolphins, and the 49ers turned to Prudy.
Purdy led the team to five straight victories to close out the season and won his first career playoff start a week ago. Tonight, Brock Purdy will be getting ready for his second-career start in the playoffs in a divisional matchup vs. the Dallas Cowboys.