Shanahan details stressful draft night before 49ers’ Purdy selection originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The 49ers had their eye on Brock Purdy before and throughout the 2022 NFL Draft, but they weren’t always confident that they would be able to land the young quarterback.
So when coach Kyle Shanahan saw Purdy still on the board in the seventh round, his mind crossed several different paths as he consulted with his posse of other coaches, scouts and 49ers executives.
“I was sure Brock was worthy of the fourth round, and we put a fourth-round grade on him,” Shanahan told NBC Sports’ Peter King. “There was no way we could take him for our team. But we’re sitting there in the seventh, and all these picks go by, he’s still there. That’s when I get to hear our linebacker coaches, all the scouts, other coaches, everybody who’s talking, saying things like: I can’t believe my guy is still there in the seventh! I love this guy. Or, We got all these needs! You traded those ones last year! We don’t need a quarterback to be our third guy. Or, Kyle! We can still get him as a free agent. He’s not going to get drafted. I mean, it’s all coming down on me.
“You hear all this stuff and the last thing you wanna be is the offensive head coach who’s like, ‘Nope, we’re taking my favorite quarterback.’ I get it—this linebacker, this running back might start for us … This linebacker might be the next dude. I remember saying before the draft I wouldn’t be surprised if Brock was there in the seventh, or didn’t get drafted. Just how the NFL works.
With time ticking and the pressure rising, 49ers co-chairman Dr. John York walked over to Shanahan and asked him a simple question.
That question wound up providing all the clarity Shanahan and 49ers general manager John Lynch needed.
“I’m always trying to check myself on this stuff,” Shanahan said. “The pick’s coming up and I remember [York] asking, ‘Who’s the best player out there?’ I go,…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/shanahan-details-stressful-draft-night-172456499.html
Author : NBC Sports BayArea
Publish date : 2024-02-05 17:24:56
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