How Purdy, 49ers’ unique draft players made NFL history vs. Jets

How Purdy, 49ers’ unique draft players made NFL history vs. Jets originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Not only did the 49ers piece together a cogent season-opening 32-19 win over the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium on Monday night, but they did so while making NFL history.

Yes, you read that right.

Per Opta Stats, San Francisco managed to make Super Bowl-era league history thanks to performances from four of its players: Brock Purdy, Jordan Mason, Jauan Jennings and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles.

Thanks to Purdy’s 200-year passing game, Mason’s career-high 125-yard rushing game, Jennings’ 50-yard receiving game and Flannigan-Fowles’ interception, the 49ers became the first team in league history to register those stats by four players who were drafted 200th or higher, or weren’t drafted at all.

But it makes sense that San Francisco would set the feat, if any team were to.

Under general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan’s tutelage, the 49ers, time and time again, have nailed the second half of the draft, granting them one of the league’s strongest rosters.

The easy example to point at is Purdy, who has positioned himself as San Francisco’s franchise quarterback despite being the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.

But Monday night’s revelation is perhaps more of a relevant topic.

Starting in place of injured star running back Christian McCaffrey, Mason, who signed with the 49ers after going undrafted in 2022, rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries, delivering a career-night in arguably the highest pressure situation of his young career.

And, along the way, writing San Francisco’s name in the history books.

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