Quarterbacks come off board at document price in NFL draft: Was Brock Purdy responsible?

The Brock Purdy influence was in full impact on this yr’s NFL draft.

A yr after the San Francisco 49ers discovered their beginning quarterback with the ultimate decide of the draft, groups have been much more aggressive when it got here to drafting quarterbacks within the later rounds.

Three quarterbacks went within the fourth spherical for the second time previously 10 drafts and 4 quarterbacks went in spherical 5 for the primary time since 2002. That led to a document 12 QBs going within the first 5 rounds for the primary time ever within the widespread draft period that began in 1967. The earlier excessive was 11 in 1995.

The run on QBs began early with Bryce Younger going first to Carolina and C.J. Stroud going second to Houston – marking the ninth time quarterbacks went 1-2 within the widespread draft period, with 5 of these coming within the final 12 drafts.

Indianapolis then took Anthony Richardson fourth, marking the fourth time that three quarterbacks have been taken with the primary 4 picks.

Issues slowed down from there with Will Levis ready till spherical two to go to Tennessee and Hendon Hooker being drafted within the third spherical by Detroit.

Then the run on QBs began late within the fourth spherical when Fresno State’s Jake Haener went 124th general to New Orleans. Six extra quarterbacks adopted within the subsequent 37 picks because the philosophy of passing on late-round QBs who traditionally have little likelihood of growing into top-flight starters modified.

A few of that could possibly be due to Purdy, who went from being “Mr. Irrelevant” as the ultimate decide of the 2022 draft to profitable his first seven begins as a rookie to assist the 49ers attain the NFC title recreation final season.

Whereas the probabilities that the QBs that went on day three of the draft will grow to be starters are low, the payoff if it occurs was excessive sufficient to justify the danger.

Two-time nationwide champion Stetson Bennett went to the Rams the decide after Haener, with the Raiders taking Aidan O’Connell with the ultimate decide of the fourth spherical. The Rams and Raiders had been the one groups to not choose a QB in any around the earlier six drafts.

The fifth-round run began with Clayton Tune going to Arizona at No. 139, adopted by Dorian Thompson-Robinson (140 to the Browns), Sean Clifford (149 to the Packers) and Jaren Corridor (164 to the Vikings).

The ultimate two QBs off the board have been Tanner McKee to the Eagles within the sixth spherical and Max Duggan to the Chargers within the seventh.

In all, 14 quarterbacks have been drafted final weekend, tied for the second most within the final 2 drafts behind the 15 from 2016.

TOP TIGHT ENDS

This draft was seen as a robust one for tight ends and that performed out on day two when a document 5 went off the board within the second spherical and three extra within the third.

It took some time for the primary tight finish to go along with Buffalo buying and selling as much as take Dalton Kincaid with the twenty fifth decide.

However that every one modified Friday with Detroit taking Sam LaPorta with the third decide of the second spherical and Las Vegas grabbing Michael Mayer one spot later. Inexperienced Bay then took Luke Musgrave forty fourth, Dallas drafted Luke Schoonmaker 58th and Jacksonville took Brenton Unusual 61st.

This marked the primary time within the widespread draft period that 5 tight ends have been taken in spherical two and the six that went within the first rounds tied 1974 for probably the most ever.

Tucker Kraft, Darnell Washington and Cameron Latu went in spherical three with the 9 tight ends going within the first three rounds breaking the document of eight reached in 2006 and 2019.

BY POSITIONS

Whereas the drafts have been notable to tight ends and quarterbacks, the quantity of picks was targeted as normal within the trenches and on the perimeter.

There have been 56 defensive backs drafted – probably the most of any place – because the elevated of additional DBs in nickel and dime packages have put a premium on depth at that spot.

Groups additionally mixed 43 offensive linemen, in addition to 43 defensive linemen. Receivers got here in subsequent at 32.

Solely six specialists have been taken however the 49ers did shock many by drafting kicker Jake Moody 99th general – the best decide for a kicker since Tampa Bay took Roberto Aguayo with the 59th decide in 2016.

ALMA MATERS

After years of dominating on the sector and in recruiting rankings, it was no shock that Alabama and Georgia led the way in which with 10 draft picks every.

The Bulldogs have now had 25 gamers taken previously two drafts from groups which have received nationwide championships every year. New England sixth-round Ameer Velocity performed on the 2021 title workforce earlier than transferring to Michigan State, giving Georgia 26 draft picks from that workforce that ended a four-decade championship drought.

Fourteen members of that 2021 protection have been drafted with 5 going to the Eagles: Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean in 2022, and Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith and Kelee Ringo this yr.

Alabama dominated the highest of the draft with quarterback Bryce Younger turning into the primary Crimson Tide participant since Harry Gilmer in 1948 to go first and edge rusher Will Anderson going third.

It marked the fourth time since 2000 that faculty teammates went within the first three picks of the identical draft with Ohio State’s Chase Younger and Jeff Okudah going at No. 2 and three in 2020, Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford and Gerald McCoy going at No. 1 and three in 2010, and Penn State’s Courtney Brown and LaVar Arrington going with the highest two picks in 2000.

The subsequent colleges on the listing of most draft picks have been two of the opposite groups to make the Faculty Soccer Playoff with Michigan having 9 gamers picked and TCU eight.