NFL QB rankings 2023: Where 49ers' Brock Purdy, Sam Darnold land
Where Simms ranks Purdy, Darnold on Top 40 QB list for 2023 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold are neck and neck -- not in terms of the 49ers’ depth chart, necessarily, but where the two signal-callers rank on Chris Simms’ annual Top 40 quarterback countdown.
The NBC Sports NFL analyst is in the middle of ranking the league’s best 40 quarterbacks, and both Purdy and Darnold officially made the cut -- though the younger QB landed one spot higher than his veteran counterpart on the list.
No. 27 - Sam Darnold
Simms ranks Darnold, who signed a one-year contract with San Francisco in March, ahead of the Carolina Panthers’ new QB Andy Dalton (No. 28) but behind his teammate Purdy, calling it “one of the tougher rankings” on his list.
“Sam Darnold has some things about his physical ability and skill set that are legit,” Simms said. “Like, when you turn on the film and you go, ‘Damn, that’s f--king above-average NFL quarterback-type stuff right there.’ Great feet. Unbelievable feet in the pocket. Very quick release, like one of the quicker releases in all of football. And then his arm is strong. I’m not going to say it’s Josh Allen or [Patrick] Mahomes, but it’s a strong arm to where he can push 50-yard posts and in cuts in like it’s nothing. …
“Sam’s got some stuff to him. I’m still a believer in Sam. You go back and you watch the end of the year and what he did with Carolina, you see a lot of stuff where you go, ‘That’s NFL starting quality throw, decision, play.’”
Simms also noted Darnold’s “surprising” rushing ability as a positive, but described him as losing a feel for the game at times. Simms believes 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan can make the most of Darnold’s talents -- and made a bold prediction for the 2023 NFL season.
“... It would not shock me -- OK I’m going to say this -- if Darnold starts [Week 1] and they start out 4-0, and Brock Purdy comes back healthy, it wouldn’t shock me if Sam Darnold was so good that they’re just like, ‘We’re going to stay with Sam, Brock, I’m sorry.’ I mean this offense is made for him,” Simms said.
Which leads us to ...
No. 26 - Brock Purdy
Nearly cracking the list’s top half isn’t bad for the Mr. Irrelevant of the 2022 NFL Draft, right? Should Purdy return from his offseason elbow surgery as the same QB who led the 49ers to last season’s NFC Championship Game, Simms has the utmost confidence in the second-year pro.
Simms pointed out plenty of similarities between Darnold and Purdy, but the analyst believes Darnold has the better arm and a quicker release. Purdy sets himself apart in one important area, though.
“... To me, where [Purdy] separates himself from Darnold a little now, he sees the field phenomenal,” Simms said. “For a rookie quarterback, he’s an unbelievable decision-maker. He has an unbelievable feel for the game overall. And then maturity beyond belief in some of the nuanced things that he does for a rookie quarterback. Purdy’s got veteran eyes already.”
Purdy isn’t perfect “yet,” Simms explained, detailing a need for the young QB to shorten his throwing motion. But in Simms’ eyes, the sky’s the limit for Purdy.
“There’s a lot to like,” Simms said. “And for a rookie to be thrown into that situation and play the way that he did, that’s another reason I have him where he is. He’s got moxy, he’s cool under pressure and all those things that show up that a team rallies behind, too. And there’s a reason they made him the starter. They have a coaching staff and a bunch of players in the locker room who believe in the guy as a leader, too.”
RELATED: Martz expects Darnold to start in 49ers’ NFL-best offense
Purdy and Darnold aren’t the only starting-caliber QBs on the 49ers’ roster, however. Trey Lance, who suffered a broken ankle last season, is looking to return on a strong note. He was ranked No. 31 by Simms last year and has yet to be mentioned on this year’s list.
But while rankings and lists are fun, Purdy, Darnold and Lance certainly know it’s what they produce on the field that counts.
