He was the last one.
Literally.
When you ask when was Purdy drafted, you aren't just asking for a date on a calendar or a specific year. You’re asking about the exact moment the San Francisco 49ers stumbled into a gold mine while the rest of the league was busy looking at taller, faster, and "toolsier" prospects. It was April 30, 2022. The sun was starting to set on the three-day marathon that is the NFL Draft. Fans were already turning off their TVs. Analysts were packing up their binders.
Brock Purdy was sitting at home in Arizona, surrounded by family, watching names fly off the board that—honestly—weren't as good as his. Then, at pick number 262, the phone rang.
John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan were on the other end.
The Mr. Irrelevant Label is Kinda Ridiculous Now
The term "Mr. Irrelevant" started as a joke back in the 70s. It was meant to be a fun way to celebrate the very last player taken in the draft. Usually, these guys end up on a practice squad for a few weeks before they start selling insurance or coaching high school ball. But when we look back at when was Purdy drafted, that label feels more like a massive indictment of every scout in the building.
Think about it. 261 players were chosen before him. Teams took punters. They took backup special teamers. They took "project" quarterbacks with big arms who couldn't read a defense to save their lives.
Purdy? He was just a four-year starter from Iowa State who had won a ton of games and broken basically every school record. But he was "too short." His arm was "average." He didn't have that "elite twitch." The scouts obsessed over what he couldn't do instead of looking at what he actually did: move the chains.
The 2022 draft was weird anyway. It was widely considered a "bad" quarterback class. Kenny Pickett was the only one to go in the first round. Desmond Ridder, Malik Willis, and Matt Corral all slid. By the time the seventh round rolled around, Purdy was just a name on a whiteboard that the Niners almost didn't call.
Why the 49ers Actually Pulled the Trigger
It wasn't a total accident. While it's true they waited until the very last second, Griese (the QB coach at the time) saw something in Purdy’s tape that reminded him of a winning distributor.
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The 49ers had a specific problem. They had Trey Lance, the high-upside gamble, and Jimmy Garoppolo, the veteran with the glass hamstrings. They needed a body for camp. They needed someone who could process Kyle Shanahan’s notoriously dense playbook without melting down.
When they drafted him at the end of the seventh round, they weren't looking for a franchise savior. They were looking for a "smart" third-stringer.
The irony is thick. If the 49ers had known what they had, they would have taken him in the third round. If any other team had seen the vision, he’d be wearing a different jersey. But because of the timing—the end of a long Saturday in April—he became a 49er.
The Numbers That Everyone Ignored
Scouts love measurables. They love the 40-yard dash. They love hand size.
Purdy’s 10-yard split was actually elite. It was faster than several "mobile" quarterbacks, but nobody cared because his top-end speed wasn't track-star level. People forgot that in the pocket, that first 10 yards is all that matters.
He played 48 games in college. That’s a massive sample size. Most of the guys drafted ahead of him had maybe one or two good seasons. Purdy had four years of dealing with Big 12 defenses, making checks at the line, and playing in cold weather. He was battle-tested. Yet, the draft community dismissed him as "limited."
It’s a classic case of over-scouting. Sometimes you just need a guy who can play football.
What Really Happened in that 2022 Draft Room
The Niners actually considered taking him earlier. There were internal discussions about using a sixth-round pick on him. But in the high-stakes poker game of the NFL Draft, you try to squeeze every bit of value. They figured, "Hey, nobody else is talking about this kid, let's wait."
It almost backfired.
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Several teams were looking at Purdy as a Priority Free Agent (PFA). If he hadn't been drafted, he would have had his choice of where to go. He might have picked a team with a clearer path to the backup spot. Imagine Purdy in a Sean McVay offense or learning under Andy Reid.
But the Niners used pick 262. They locked him into a four-year deal worth about $3.7 million. To put that in perspective, some of the guys he’s beating on Sundays make that in a single game.
How the Timing Defined His Career
If Purdy is drafted in the second round, the pressure is different. People expect him to be the guy. But because he was drafted when he was—at the very tail end—he was able to fly under the radar.
He spent his rookie summer as the "scout team" QB. He was the guy mimicking the opposing team's offense to help the 49ers' starting defense practice. And he was shredding them. Fred Warner and Nick Bosa started coming off the field saying, "Who is this kid?"
The veterans knew before the coaches did. They saw a guy who wasn't intimidated by the lights or the speed of the pro game.
Then came the injuries. Trey Lance went down. Jimmy G went down. Suddenly, the kid drafted last was starting against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. And he didn't just play; he dominated.
The Fallout for the Rest of the NFL
Every team is now looking for "the next Purdy."
They’re looking at late-round quarterbacks with high "EPA" (Expected Points Added) and lots of college starts. They’re realizing that maybe, just maybe, arm talent isn't the only thing that matters.
The 2022 draft will forever be remembered for this one specific pick. You have teams like the Falcons or the Jets who were desperate for a quarterback and passed on him seven different times. It’s the kind of thing that gets General Managers fired.
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Key Takeaways from the 2022 Draft Class
When you look at the landscape of that year, the quarterback position was a mess.
- Kenny Pickett: Drafted 20th overall. Already on his second team.
- Desmond Ridder: Drafted 74th overall. Struggles with consistency.
- Malik Willis: Drafted 86th overall. High ceiling, but still a backup.
- Brock Purdy: Drafted 262nd overall. Pro Bowler, Super Bowl starter, MVP candidate.
The disparity is staggering. It proves that the draft is essentially a sophisticated guessing game. The 49ers didn't "know" he was this good. If they did, they wouldn't have risked losing him. They got lucky. But they also had the infrastructure to let that luck turn into a dynasty-level find.
Practical Lessons from the Purdy Saga
For fans and amateur scouts, the Purdy story is a reminder to stop obsessing over "traits."
If you're evaluating talent—whether in sports or business—look for the "processor." Purdy’s brain works faster than the guys across from him. He anticipates breaks before they happen. He understands leverage.
You can't measure that at a Combine.
If you’re looking to track Purdy's progress or compare him to current draft prospects, focus on "Time to Throw" and "Success Rate vs. Blitz." These are the metrics where he actually led the league, despite being the "last" pick.
To really understand the impact of his draft position, you have to watch his 2022 preseason tape. You can see the flashes of the player he is now—the pocket presence, the subtle slides to avoid pressure, and the absolute refusal to play like a "safe" backup. He was aggressive from day one.
The next time the NFL Draft rolls around and you see the commissioner announce "Mr. Irrelevant," don't turn off the TV. That player might just be the one holding the Lombardi Trophy in a couple of years.
Next Steps for Deep-Diving Fans:
- Check the 2022 Draft Order: Look at the quarterbacks taken in rounds 4 through 7. It’s a wild list of names you’ve likely already forgotten.
- Watch the "Mr. Irrelevant" Ceremony: See how the 49ers celebrated the pick at the time versus how they talk about him now.
- Review the 49ers Salary Cap: See how much of an advantage they have because they are paying a top-tier quarterback a seventh-round salary. It’s the biggest "cheat code" in professional sports right now.