Former 49ers wide receiver defends Brock Purdy after disrespectful PFF ranking

The debate over whether San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is any good seemingly never ceases.

Former Niners wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders recently came to Purdy's defense after Pro Football Focus ranked him 13th among quarterbacks.

For those who may need a refresher, Sanders played for San Francisco in 2019 on the team that went on to lose the Super Bowl to the Kansas City Chiefs (the first time). The Niners traded for him midway through the season and he was a valuable contributor for head coach Kyle Shanahan and the offense.

Now, Sanders is retired, and even though he never played with Purdy, he was more than willing to go to bat for the young quarterback.

The clip below is from the Up &and Adams Show:

Sanders took exception to PFF's ranking of Purdy. He talked about how wide receiver Deebo Samuel has heaped praise upon Purdy whenever he has spoken with the dual-threat weapon. Specifically, Deebo highlighted the confidence Purdy brings in the huddle. His confidence inspires confidence in others, which shows that Purdy raises the level of play of those around him.

Looking at some of the quarterbacks ranked ahead of Purdy in PFF's rankings, there are certainly some questionable names. Trevor Lawrence is ranked No. 12. After the collapse by the Jacksonville Jaguars to miss the playoffs last season, which was helped a lot by Lawrence's poor play, this is a questionable ranking.

The Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love, the Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott, and the Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts are all ranked ahead of Purdy even though he beat all three of those quarterbacks last year.

This should not come as any surprise. People have doubted Purdy's ability ever since he took over as starting quarterback.

They will continue to do so until he wins a Super Bowl.

Sanders is just one of many current and former players who have come to Purdy's defense. It is probably a good sign when players who have actually played the game are more than willing to commend your play and your leadership presence on a team.

The debates over Purdy will not end any time soon. He has a chance to silence the critics in 2024.

Read more from Niner Noise