It seems that before the San Francisco 49ers made Brock Purdy the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, they had scientific proof that he had the potential to be a star in the NFL.
The San Francisco 49ers had a nightmare scenario occur when it came to the quarterback decision during the 2022 season. It is always tough to lose a starting QB for the season. However, late in their campaign they also had the bad luck of dealing with a season-ending injury to Trey Lance’s replacement, Jimmy Garapollo.
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Such a scenario should have decimated the team’s season. However, just like they had the good fortune of having a better-than-normal No. 2 quarterback, it turned out that they also had a far better-than-usual third-string signal-caller waiting in the wings as well.
Brock Purdy was the last player taken in the 2022 NFL Draft. A position that does not equate to strong prospects for a strong NFL career. That combined with being a rookie in the toughest position on the field should have led to disastrous results for the Iowa State star. However, at every turn, Purdy delivered for the San Francisco 49ers over the final six games of the season.
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yet, Purdy didn’t just manage the offense and avoid killer mistakes, he made plays and excelled at helping to make the 49ers’ offense a legitimate force in the NFC. And it seems the organization had a key piece of evidence very early that the young QB had the capability to do well in the NFL.
Earlier this year, The Athletic reported on the S2 Cognitive test results for the young QB and it seems he scored off the charts. The San Francisco 49ers talent reportedly landed in the “mid-90s.” A number that is similar to what future NFL Hall-of-Famer Drew Brees scored when he took the test back in 2001.
While the well-known 50-question Wonderlic test is an intelligence exam, the S2 is a popular piece of scouting for teams because it measures how quickly and accurately athletes process information. This is extremely important for a position like QB where players must go through reads on different levels and adjust to what the defense is giving them.
Clearly, Purdy’s score was the early proof that mentally, he was always built to excel at the highest levels. He is expected to be the team’s starter once he heals from his elbow injury.