San Francisco 49er quarterback Brock Purdy’s rise from draft day afterthought to franchise quarterback remains one of the best stories in recent NFL history. Dubbed “Mr. Irrelevant” after being taken with the final pick of the 2022 draft, Purdy worked his way up the 49ers‘ depth chart before getting his shot midway through his rookie season. He made the most of it, throwing for 1,374 yards, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions in nine games. Three years later, he was signed to a $265 million contract.
It’s not easy to become the next Purdy, but that blueprint — late-round pick, patient development, unexpected opportunity — is what NFL scouts had in mind when FOX Sports asked them to evaluate the Day 3 quarterbacks from the 2026 draft class. Here’s how they ranked the candidates.
At the top of the list is New York Jets fourth-round pick Cade Klubnik out of Clemson. The 22-year-old has the clearest path to playing time of any quarterback in the group, with veteran stop-gap Geno Smith as the incumbent starter and journeyman Bailey Zappe as the current QB2. Scouts praised Klubnik for his arm talent and football IQ, though some flagged a tendency to make poor decisions under pressure. Injuries derailed his senior season at Clemson, which likely pushed him down draft boards from a projected late first-rounder.
Coming in at No. 2 is Garrett Nussmeier, a seventh-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs. The LSU product was one of the nation’s best quarterbacks as a junior before a preseason abdominal injury — later linked to a spinal cyst — derailed his senior year. Scouts see legitimate upside, and landing with Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes gives him an ideal learning environment for him to take eventually take a bigger role with a different team.
Cleveland’s Taylen Green checks in at No. 3. The sixth-round pick out of Arkansas is more of a physical freak than a polished passer — he ran a 4.36 40-yard dash at the combine — but scouts acknowledge the Browns’ coaching staff has the tools to work with if they can clean up his mechanics. He also has a clearer path to potentially starting with a mix of inconsistent and inexperienced quarterbacks ahead of him between Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
Philadelphia fifth-rounder Cole Payton (No. 4), New England seventh-rounder Behren Morton (No. 5) and Washington seventh-rounder Athan Kaliakmanis (No. 6) round out the list, each facing steep climbs just to earn a roster spot, let alone a starting opportunity.
None of them may ever reach Purdy’s level. But then again, nobody thought he would either.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Brock Purdy sets new standard for late-round 2026 draft picks
