In the lead up to the season, Brock Purdy was thought as one of the quarterbacks who could push for the QB4 designation behind Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, and Trey Lance and possibly get drafted in the first round. He did not look like that guy in Iowa State’s first game versus Louisiana. He will need to bounce back in a big way versus the vaunted TCU defense.
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There is little questioning that Purdy has the skillset of a first-round quarterback. He possesses good athletic ability, solid accuracy, and solid mental capacities for the position. He doesn’t have the biggest arm, but enough to make every throw needed. Purdy shows solid processing to read the defense and make good decisions with the football.
Against Louisiana, however, he struggled mightily with that aspect. Too often he tried to force the ball into coverage or tried doing too much on a given play. He ended up completing less than 50% of his passes in that game while only throwing for 145 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception.
One game should not affect Brock Purdy’s draft stock that much. Especially in a season-opening game in a weird year like 2020. That being said, he will have to show the talent and skill that made him a borderline first-round prospect in the first place. A Gary Patterson-led defense is always a tough defense to bounce back against, but Purdy did find success against them last year. A lot of the questions and concerns around Purdy right now should quiet with a strong performance on Saturday.