Canadian defensive back Kurtis Rourke has one major similarity to Brock Purdy: both were seventh-round NFL draft picks.
Purdy was selected 262nd overall in the 2022 class, and Rourke was selected 227th overall in the 2025 class.. The San Francisco franchise turned its chance into production when he was inserted into the game, leading to a five-year, $265 million ($181 million guaranteed) contract extension with the 49ers in March. He went from making less than $1 million per season in his first three NFL games to over $50 million.
“Have the best example possible as the defender of this team in the room It was a blessing to be able to learn from him,” Rourke said, referring to Purdy, when asked how rare it is for a QB taken in the seventh round to succeed in the NFL.
“WThe only thing he showed me was how detailed and focused he was, if possible, he's going to make the most of it. There's what I plan to do starting with an open training window and then move forward.”
The 49ers placed Rourke on the non-football injured list in August.a designation intended for players who are unable to participate in on-field activities due to health problems or injuries that were not sustained during NFL games or practices. In his case, the six-foot-four, 220-pound QB suffered a torn ACL during his final NCAA season at Indiana University.
“It was only after the season that my agent and I decided to get an MRI of my knee. because there were some strange feelings, and it wasn’t quite right. WWe managed to receive news that it was completely torn apart, but I was glad to get through the season,” Rourke said.
Oakville, Ontario. The native led the Hoosiers to an 11-2 record and a berth in the 2024 College Football Playoff. He completed 69.4 percent of his passes for 3,042 yards with 29 touchdowns against five interceptions, made the All-Big Ten second team and finished ninth in Heisman Trophy voting.
“He's been working on being healthy to get on the training field. We'll see how he does in these three weeks. He'll feel good.” [scout team reps] with Mac [Jones] also because Mac needs to attract his representatives. We'll really evaluate him over these three weeks and see what happens,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said.
“We really liked him in Indiana. He's a guy that stood out in the draft process, we didn't really have any intentions of drafting a quarterback – the more we watched him, the more we liked him. He can make any throw. He had an ACL injury last year, gutted it, found a way to get it back and lived through it. We drafted him knowing we'd be patient, but we really liked his skill set,” general manager John Lynch said. KNBR 1050.
After the 25-year-old was selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, Rourke said the 49ers staff developed a rehab plan. He studies San Francisco's offensive strategy in class and wants to show that his work can be applied to the football field. The heavily armed bystander believes he performed well during his performance. practice window can give him a positive impetus for the future.
“Brock went through a couple of injuries, yeah.When he’s in the room, it’s the easiest and most accessible,” Rourke said of his conversation with teammates about his recovery process.Iit was great to be in this room, learn from Brock and Mac and everyone who was able to provide information“
“It's been over a year since I last played and was able to train fully. Aany practice, any type of work will prepare me for next year. Ultimately, the goal is to help the team in any way possible. Being accessible is the best thing.”
