Former 49ers quarterback Alex Smith praised the team's presumptive starter, Brock Purdy, for his traits on the field.
Smith, who played for the 49ers from 2005 to 2012, noted that Purdy has three characteristics that will allow San Francisco to sustain its winning ways despite the 23-year-old not having the physical characteristics that teams look for in a signal-caller.
"I think Brock showed he's got it right between the ears," Smith said to NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco on the latest episode of "49ers Talk" from the American Century Championship golf tournament at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort.
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"Like, it's not too big for him. I mean, this is a guy I know didn't get many reps in training camp. [Purdy] finally got backed up to [being the backup quarterback]. So he's running scout team [and] you're still not getting many reps. And then to step in and just operate the way he did. It wasn't too big.
"You could see him dial in. And I know in that system, there's a lot on the quarterback's plate from a processing standpoint, and I think he showed enough that absolutely, he's got it. And again, height, [40-yard dash], arm strength. Like, that stuff really is secondary at the NFL level, and I think he's got the things that you're looking for to win sustainably. And again, accuracy, timing, and processing."
Smith's comments come as Purdy is recovering from surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The injury raised concerns about his readiness for the 2023 NFL season; however, Purdy reportedly is ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation.
The 49ers quarterback recently began tossing a regulation 15-ounce NFL football and is showing promise that he might be ready for Week 1.
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Purdy's status as "Mr. Irrelevant" didn't let him define how he would perform on the field. The Iowa State product threw for 1,374 passing yards while registering 13 touchdowns and four interceptions last season and could be on his way to being a top quarterback in 2023.