If the Brock Purdy busts in 2024, these potential draft prospects could burst for the 49ers.
The San Francisco 49ers have handed the keys (so to speak) to the city to third-year quarterback Brock Purdy. After a season and a half of impressive performances and fairly consistent play, the Niners have faith in him.
At least for now.
With his rookie contract approaching an end, a huge payday looms, and another potential mega-deal to keep the star hurler in San Francisco could leave the team in a bind. Yes, the 49ers have been wizards at navigating the salary cap, but they're already projected to be well over next year's limit.
Perhaps it's worth exploring a quarterback reset to allow some financial flexibility for the organization to continue its winning ways, particularly if Purdy ends up crashing back to earth this season.
After all, there are a few potential prospects worth plucking in the first or second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, should they fall to the Niners wherever they end up picking.
1. Quinn Ewers, University of Texas
The starting quarterback for the University of Texas, Quinn Ewers, is expected to enter the 2025 draft next year. Ewers had a solid 2023 campaign for the Longhorns, throwing for 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions while earning 3,479 yards.
His completion percentage increased by more than 10 percent from the year before, and Ewers will lead the Longhorns this weekend in Ann Harbor against the No. 10-ranked Michigan Wolverines.
Taking down a top-10 team this early in the season would only propel his demand come next April. Ewers had his greatest performance in 2023 against Oklahoma State where he racked up four touchdowns and over 450 yards.
The Longhorns lost a close battle against the Washington Huskies in the College Playoff Semifinals (37-31). Ewers moved the ball down field while leading the charge on offense by recording over 300 yards by air and accumulated 54 more with the run.
Earlier this season, Ewers showed his skill set once again as he connected on three more scores in the season opener. Texas won the game 52-0 at home against Colorado State.
Expected to go early, the 49ers may need to trade up. However, this is not the only hunk of gold the 49ers could find in the first round of the next draft.
2. Cameron Rising, University of Utah
Cameron Rising, the Ventura, California, native is a senior for the Utah Utes and increased his NFL stock in the opening week. He threw for five touchdowns and 254 yards with a quarterback rating of 91.9 (eighth-best in the nation).
Rising did not play last year but showed no signs of rust or cobwebs on his game. This could be just a glimpse to come for NFL scouts and coaching personnel to observe.
In 2022, he threw for more than 3,000 yards, 26 touchdowns and just eight picks. Rising had six different games where he threw at least three touchdowns.
His best game of that season came against then-ranked No. 7 USC where he tallied 415 throwing yards and a pair of touchdowns to narrowly defeat the Trojans, 43-42. He followed that up in their rematch during the Pac-12 Championship win with three more touchdowns and over 300 yards downfield.
Rising and the Utes will end September with back-to-back games against ranked opponents, Oklahoma State and Arizona. These are a pair of contests for the potential NFL prospect to demonstrate how ready he is for the next stage of his football career.
3. Cade McNamara, University of Iowa
Why not replace one quarterback from Iowa with another? Brock Purdy played for Iowa State and this prospect, Cade McNamara, plays for their rival, Iowa.
The Hawkeyes quarterback entered his senior year with a bang. He logged a trio of touchdowns and 251 yards in the season opener against Illinois State.
Speaking of Iowa State, McNamara and his team have a matchup this weekend in Week 2 of the 2024 NCAA season. With a win, the team could move up into the top 20.
In his first year with Iowa last season, McNamara completed just 51 percent of his throws. But in 2021, he completed almost 65 percent of his passes for Michigan.
He did so while collecting 2,576 yards, 15 scores including a 93-yard bomb that year. McNamara only had six picks that season, as well.
The way the 49ers offense is built, a superstar quarterback may not be necessary. With one of the league's best runners in Christian McCaffrey and wideouts like Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, this is just a short list of the arsenal head coach Kyle Shanahan has on his roster.
The Reno, Nevada, native could even fall to the Niners in the second or third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Just maybe, if San Francisco moved on from Purdy and reset the quarterback contract, it could get lucky again.
