SANTA CLARA — Jauan Jennings may have coined a new moniker for the 49ers starting quarterback.
The wide receiver spoke after practice Thursday and was asked if he was surprised at how quickly Brock Purdy returned to practice after having surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament in March.
“I checked up on Brock every now and then during his recovery,” Jennings said. “And it’s been going great. That’s all I kept hearing and, to see Brock come out there. Man, it meant a lot to see what he’s going through.
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“Now he’s out there throwing it, you know, Brock-Star.”
Jennings has been a key element of the 49ers offense, especially when it comes to third-down situations. The Tennessee wideout seems to always know where the sticks are located. 23 of his 56 regular season receptions in 2022 were for first downs.
All four of Jennings' catches during the playoffs were for first downs.
Through training camp, the third-year wideout has easily developed chemistry with all four of the club’s quarterbacks as a reliable target.
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“We love him out there,” Jennings said. “That goes for all of the quarterbacks though. They are all out there competing against each other, making each other better each day. We’ve seen all our quarterbacks make great throws.”
No matter who is under center, expect Jennings to be on the field moving the chains while maintaining his spicy relationship whichever linebacker or safety is covering him. At 220 pounds, the wideout knows that he is a mismatch for a cornerback.
Those mismatches are what give him the opportunity to be open for his “Brock-Star” quarterback.