In the 7th round, with the 262nd and final pick, the San Francisco 49ers selected a quarterback from Iowa State named Brock Purdy. The room gave the customary cheer for "Mr. Irrelevant." No one expected him to take a snap in a regular-season game, let alone lead a team to a Super Bowl years later.
By Saturday morning—the "marathon" rounds 4 through 7—the glitz of the Vegas stage had faded into a war of attrition. This was where the real "useful" stories were written. Teams weren't looking for stars anymore; they were looking for "grinders."
The hum of the draft room was a low, rhythmic vibration—the sound of 32 teams trying to predict the future. For general managers, "7-700-2022" wasn't just a code on a folder; it represented seven rounds of grueling scouts' notes, 700+ hours of film study, and the 2022 season hanging in the balance. 7-700-2022
Brock Purdy , the very last pick, eventually became a Pro Bowl starter.
Travon Walker (DE) – Jacksonville Jaguars. In the 7th round, with the 262nd and
In a small apartment in Athens, Georgia, Nakobe Dean sat with his phone in his lap. He had been the heartbeat of the Bulldogs’ national championship defense. Analysts called him a first-round lock. But as the first round ended on Thursday night, his name hadn't been called. Friday came—the second and third rounds—and still, silence. Concerns about his size and a "nagging" shoulder injury had turned a "sure thing" into a slide.
Only one QB ( Kenny Pickett ) was taken in the first two rounds, a historic rarity. For general managers, "7-700-2022" wasn't just a code
Garrett Wilson , Chris Olave , and Jameson Williams were all taken in the Top 12.