Alex Smith did not have a chance to play under Kyle Shanahan during the former's time with the San Francisco 49ers. However, the three-time Pro-Bowler is well aware of how things work within the Niners organization. Smith played seven seasons in San Francisco and he was there long enough to learn about the ins and outs of their system, particularly when it comes to how the team handles its quarterbacks.
This is exactly why Smith is confident in the future of Brock Purdy. 2022 was Purdy's breakout year but unfortunately, the young 49ers QB suffered a major injury that derailed his rise to glory. He's now working hard to get back on track and at this point, it seems that the 23-year-old is going to be back with a vengeance.
Alex Smith is confident that Brock Purdy has what it takes:
“In our interview process, and the Combine, and all the weird tests you take, they haven’t really found a great way to quantify that,” Smith said, via Jack Hammer of Inside the 49ers. “And I think Brock showed he’s got it right between the ears. It’s not too big for him. This is a guy I know didn’t get many reps in training camp. He finally got back up to number two, so he’s running scout team. 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, arm strength, 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. Again, accuracy, timing, and processing.”
According to most recent reports, Brock Purdy should be ready to go to start the new season for the 49ers. His road to recovery has not had any significant setbacks and he should be back on the field sooner rather than later. We're all about to see if Alex Smith's hunch about Purdy is right.