The Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters was at the NFL Scouting Combine evaluating an unknown quarterback named Brock Purdy, this incident occurred two years ago.
The former 49ers executive recalled what he saw from the young quarterback that indicated he could be a success in the NFL.
“Really with Brock, he was always composed,” Peters said this week.
“Like he is now, he is the same guy every day and really his tape was what really turned us on. Then you meet the person. This was only just a little part of the process.”
Peters explained that everyone attending the combine can evaluate the talent they see from the players on the field while obviously taking a look at each prospect’s college film as well. He believed Purdy had what it would take to be a great match.
“His tape and everything he did at Iowa State, and how well he played and how well he played the position, we thought he could really fit in well with our scheme,” Peters said.
The combine often is the first “touch point” for many team personnel with all of the college prospects. Peters explained how important face-to-face meetings can be, along with the thorough medical exams that take place.
Peters believes that teams most often make mistakes regarding who the player is as a person. As far as Purdy goes, the 49ers knew they had a diligent worker that was respected by his teammates.
“You make the biggest mistakes more so on the person than on the actual talent,” Peters said. “I think we are all here for a reason, in terms of being talent evaluators, but understanding what makes that person tick, and how they will fit into your locker room and your particular culture is the biggest thing where you can make mistakes.”
Peters and the 49ers’ personnel department clearly aced the Purdy selection with the No. 262 pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. Now the first-year Washington executive is tasked with looking for the “next Brock Purdy.”
“If we thought he was that good, we probably wouldn’t have waited until the last pick,” Peters said with a smile. “We liked him that much, and now I got to find a new quarterback.”
