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Devin Leary of Kentucky is a perfect pick for the 49ers in the 2024 NFL Draft if they’re looking for a developing backup to Brock Purdy.

As of right now, Brock Purdy is the only quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers who is signed until 2024.

Sam Darnold and Brandon Allen, Purdy’s two backups from the previous season, are set to become free agents at the beginning of the league year, and there is no certainty that either will sign with the Niners again this offseason.

When it comes to handling Purdy’s backup situation, general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have plenty of options. However, it wouldn’t be shocking to pursue a calm veteran on the free-agent market who could act as both a reliable mentor and Purdy’s immediate No. 2.

However, it makes sense to select a developing quarterback with one of San Francisco’s 11 predicted picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Yes, it’s not an urgent necessity. Additionally, the 49ers could add an undrafted free agent or a developing signal-caller with equal ease.

However, the Niners may find one name intriguing enough to consider as a late-round draft risk to take the third slot on the depth chart.

On the third day of the NFL Draft, the 49ers ought to select Devin Leary, the quarterback for Kentucky.
Devin Leary of Kentucky will have little chance of even being mentioned in the same breath as the best signal-callers in this year’s class.

The NC State transfer finished 2023 with 2,746 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, and he completed 56.3 percent of his passes for 2,746 yards. His 6-foot-1, 217-pound frame is probably going to turn off a lot of scouts and general managers who were initially drawn to his promising sophomore season in 2021.

However, as NFL.com draft expert Lance Zierlein noted, Leary might wind up flourishing in an offense that emphasizes the qualities of a pocket passer and has a lot of play action—something San Francisco has done successfully under Shanahan in the past.

Niner Noise’s own Jeremy Wohlfart was very impressed with the Wildcat quarterback during Leary’s NFL Combine workouts:

Devin Leary of Kentucky wasn’t seen as a lock to be selected in the first round until the NFL Combine, but he showed some intriguing potential that could entice someone to take a chance on him on Day 3.

Teams were struck by his efficiency and dexterity throughout the combine drills, though.

In addition, Leary threw the ball faster than anyone had anticipated.”

Wohlfart projected Leary to go in Round 6 at No. 214 overall, but this would be a reasonable spot for any late day-three selection.

Ultimately, those choices are genuinely the irrational “blindly tossing darts” choices, and Leary does possess the practical qualities that might enable him to develop as a backup quarterback behind Purdy in the coming years.

If all went wrong, the 49ers would just have a new opponent in training camp when it came to depth.

Niners, take the flier.