Brock Purdy could join elite class in rare category with Super Bowl win

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy receives a lot of criticism for a second-year player who wins often with a career 21-5 record. 

And if San Francisco were to beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl on Sunday, Purdy would join a very exclusive list of quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl despite being drafted in the seventh round or later.

• Bart Starr was drafted in Round 17 of the 1956 NFL Draft and won Super Bowl I and II with the Green Bay Packers.
• Johnny Unitas was drafted in Round 9 of the 1955 NFL Draft and won Super Bowl V with the Baltimore Colts.
• Roger Staubach was drafted in Round 10 of the 1964 NFL Draft and won Super Bowl VI and XII with the Dallas Cowboys.
• Brad Johnson was drafted in Round 9 of the 1992 NFL Draft and won Super Bowl XXXVII with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Starr, Unitas and Staubach are all in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and are considered some of the best quarterbacks not only of their generation but in all of NFL history. 

While that trio were all drafted later than Purdy was, Purdy has the distinction of being the first QB drafted in Round 7 to even play in a Super Bowl. Purdy wasn't just a Round 7 selection, he was the last pick in the draft, 'Mr. Irrelevant,'

Purdy was in the MVP discussion for a large chunk of the season, ranking fifth in passing yards (4,280), third in passing touchdowns (31) and tied for first in ESPN Total QBR (72.7). 

However, Purdy's had ups and downs in the playoffs throwing for just two touchdowns and one interception in wins against the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions. 

Purdy will need to revert to his elite regular season play if the 49ers are going to win their first Super Bowl since the 1994 season.